Matthews-Mint Hill Art-filled afternoon - Carolina Weekly Newspapers

Matthews-Mint Hill 

USA WEEKEND inside! 

Volume 3, Number 34 • Aug. 27-Sept. 2, 2010 

Does downtown Matthews 

have a parking problem? 

www.matthewsminthillweekly.com 

Art-filled afternoon 

Organizers see record-breaking turnout at Mint Hill’s 

Sunday Afternoon in the Park 

Ravens ready for 

first game 

page 

26 

page 14 

Inside ... 

Are you ready for 

Matthews Alive? 

Minor League Baseball 

Major League Fun! 

page 22 

News Briefs .........................6 

Calendar/Crossword ..........23 

Arts ...................................24 

Sports ...............................26 

Movies ..............................29 

Classifieds..........................32 

HELP Center 

hiring more help 

Nonprofit to add social worker to combat 

rise in demand 

by Kara Lopp 

kara@matthewsminthillweekly.com 

The Matthews HELP Center, a nonprofit crisis assistance 

center, is in need of help itself. 

The recession has meant a drastic increase in the number of 

families and individuals turning to the 119 N. Ames St. center 

for help. And staff are swamped. So swamped, in fact, that new 

clients can’t be seen for about a month. 

Catch a Knights Game before it’s too late! 

Friday @ 7:15 Baseball Caps to 1st 1500 Knights Fans, sponsored by American Red Cross & Time Warner Cable 

3:30 to 7:30 pm, American Red Cross Blood Drive at the stadium 

Saturday @ 7:15 Postgame Fireworks in 3D! The only 3D Fireworks of the season! 

Sponsored by Bank of America, WBT 1110, Time Warner Cable & Carolina Weekly Newspaper Group 

Sunday @ 2:15 Family Day Presented by BB&T, plus kids run the based sponsored by Discovery Place 

Free Make-A-Wish T-Shirts to 1st 1,500 Knights fans, sponsored by My Carolina Town 

704-357-8071 www.charlotteknights.com 

Hundreds of people took in the sights and sounds of local 

artistic talent Aug. 22 at Mint Hill’s Park on Wilgrove during 

the town’s fifth annual Sunday Afternoon in the Park. It was 

a record-breaking attendance year for the festival, organizer 

Tina Ross said. Known as Art in the Park, the festival featured 

art from various mediums, including stained glass, watercolor 

and oil painting, ceramics and jewelry. Local authors showcased 

their written works in the “Author’s Alley” and musical artists 

were on hand to entertain, too. q 

(Clockwise, from left) Mint Hill native Allyson Ross makes paper 

flowers. She’s the daughter of festival organizer and town commissioner 

Tina Ross; Plla Flory, 4, of Matthews shows off the beaded 

necklace she made with mom, Jennifer; Sharon and Ron Heath 

of Mint Hill enjoy a stroll together at the festival; (right) Gracie 

Oke, 5, of Mint Hill, boasts a successful face-painting session. 

Butler student arrested 

on rape charge 

Osvaldo Sombo just joined the Butler football 

team as East Meck transfer 

by Aaron Garcia 

aaron@matthewsminthillweekly.com 

Butler High School senior Osvaldo 

Sombo,17, has been arrested and charged 

with felony second-degree rape and a misdemeanor 

count of sexual battery, according to 

a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department 

report. 

Sombo, who was arrested Aug. 11, is free 

(see HELP on page 12) Osvaldo Sombo 

(see Sombo on page 13) 

Michael Porowski/MMHW photos

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Page 2 • Aug. 27-Sept. 2, 2010 • Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly 

www.matthewsminthillweekly.com

What’s 

the future 

of CMS? 

Gorman gives his take, 

admits new teachers may 

not live locally 

by Mike Parks 

mike@matthewsminthillweekly.com 

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent 

Peter Gorman took time to praise 

area teachers and principals before launching 

into a bleak look at the school system’s 

budget future Aug. 21 at a meeting of south 

Charlotte’s Ballantyne Breakfast Club. 

Gorman covered everything from 

teacher effectiveness to year-round school 

but focused much of his time on what 

CMS would do once about $45 million 

in federal stimulus funding expires before 

next school year. 

Though the district already had to cut 

millions out of this year’s school budget, 

next year’s cuts will likely go much deeper, 

Gorman said Aug. 21. His only bargaining 

chip, Gorman said, is a one-time windfall 

of what he says is an estimated $25 million 

in federal funding. 

(see CMS on page 21) 

Community 

$25.7M in federal cash may save teacher jobs 

by Christina Ritchie Rogers 

news@matthewsminthillweekly.com 

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools 

will receive about $25.7 million from 

the Education Jobs Fund, an initiative 

of the Obama administration intended 

to protect teachers’ jobs. 

More good news arrived Aug. 24 

when U.S. Secretary of Education 

Arne Duncan announced North Carolina 

is one of 11 states to receive funding 

from the “Race to the Top” fund, 

a more than $4 billion federal grant 

program (see page 21). 

At the Aug. 24 school board meeting, 

Superintendent Peter Gorman 

recommended a conservative plan 

for the Education Jobs Fund money 

because the district will likely lose 

nearly $50 million in federal stimulus 

money next year, he said. The recommendation 

came after holding an 

emergency meeting with the teacher 

advisory council and also talking with 

other teachers and school district 

staff. Gorman said the advisory group 

unanimously supported a conservative 

approach. 

“What we’re recommending is being 

able to keep staff longer in the face 

of these cuts,” Gorman said. Twentyfive 

million dollars could save about 

500 teacher jobs, and “it is our strong 

recommendation that we carry those 

dollars forward for another year,” he 

said. 

Board members Rhonda Lennon, 

Trent Merchant, Richard McElrath, 

Tim Morgan, Joe White and Chairman 

Eric Davis supported Gorman’s 

recommendation. 

“This is a good way to tell the teachers 

that we are looking at their future,” 

Lennon said. 

Merchant saw the decision to save 

funds as a chance to bolster teacher 

morale by letting them know the district 

has a better chance of saving their 

positions next year. 

Joyce Waddell also supported the 

recommendation but questioned 

whether county commissioners will 

reduce funding for the schools because 

they know of the extra money. Gorman 

responded by urging board members 

to reach out to their colleagues on the 

county commission now in anticipation 

of next year’s budget. 

The district has until October 2012 

to use the cash, under the conditions 

of the agreement, and funds can only 

be used for compensation, benefits 

and other expenses necessary to retain 

existing employees, rehire former 

employees and hire new employees 

for early childhood, elementary or secondary 

education and related services. 

Funds may also be used to restore 

reductions in salaries or benefits. 

Kaye McGarry said she was “flummoxed” 

by Gorman’s recommendation 

and did not understand why the 

board would not use the funds to help 

teachers in the classrooms this year. 

“This was a priority three months ago. 

I don’t understand why it’s not still a 

priority,” she said. 

She doesn’t oppose saving some of 

the money, though, “maybe 60/40,” 

she said. 

By carrying over the $25 million a 

year, the school system will lower by 

more than half the estimated $47 million 

drop in federal stimulus funding 

that is coming. “The cliff is real,” 

White said. “Whether we like it or not, 

we will run off of it next year, and Dr. 

Gorman’s plan will make the landing a 

little bit softer.” q 

What are YOU doing Labor Day weekend? 

Rides And games! Family Fun! live music! 

Great Food! huge Carnival area! Arts 

& Crafts! Kids Connection! & MUCH MORE! 

September 3rd - 6th, 2010! 

Come join in the fun for the 18th annual Matthews Alive! 

Labor Day festival in historic downtown Matthews, NC! 

Find out more at: 

www.matthewsalive.org 

Thanks to our sponsors! 

Good times funding good works! 

Friday, Sept. 3rd: 6:30 PM - 10:30 PM 

Featuring: Jim Quick & Coastline AND 

Billy Scott & The Prophets! 

All You Can Ride Arm Band night! 

Saturday, Sept. 4th: 9 AM - 9 PM 

Labor Day Parade: 10 AM 

Sunday, Sept. 5th: 12:00 PM – 9:00 PM 

Monday, Sept. 6th: 9 AM - 5 PM 

Kiwanis Race: 8AM 

18 years | Historic Downtown Matthews, NC 28105 


Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly • Aug. 27-Sept 2, 2010 • Page 3

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Community 

Gathering ideas 

Mint Hill commissioners tour new Albemarle City Hall 

in preparation for town hall design 

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Kara Lopp/MMHW photos 

Mint Hill commissioners spent more than two hours Aug. 23 touring the new Albemarle City 

Hall with their architect David Creech on the hunt for ideas about what the town’s own new 

town hall could look like. They asked questions about flooring, stair and hallway size and where 

the furniture was purchased. Albemarle’s 1-year-old pride and joy combined renovating the existing 

city hall and building a new addition. The 44,000-square-foot, $8 million project took two 

years to complete and officials only bought furnishings made in North Carolina. 

Mint Hill officials are waiting for results of a “due diligence” study, which includes soil testing, 

at Mint Hill Village, the proposed site for the new town hall. q 

(Top, from left) Commissioners Lloyd Austin, Mickey Ellington and Brenda McRae talk with 

architect David Creech in Albemarle’s council chambers. Mint Hill Town Manager Brian Welch is 

in the background. (Bottom, left) The new Albemarle City Hall. (Bottom right, from left) Commissioner 

Tina Ross and Town Clerk Beth Hamrick ask architect David Creech about flooring in 

the city hall back entrance. 

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News 

Managing Editor 

Frank DeLoache 

Editor 

Kara Lopp 

Sports Editor 

C. Jemal Horton 

Assistant Sports Editor 

Aaron Garcia 

Sports Writers 

Chris Hunt 

Denny Seitz 

Book Club Editor 

Alison Woo 

Staff Writers 

Andrew Batten 

Brian Carlton 

Mike Parks 

Christina Ritchie Rogers 

Contributing Writers 

Ryan Hill 

Rev. Tony Marciano 

Erica Oglesby 

Tim Ross 

Mike Shaw 

Layout Director 

Michael Kerr 

Production Manager 

Debbie Archer 

Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly is published 

by the Carolina Weekly Newspaper Group, 

1421-C Orchard Lake Drive, Charlotte, NC 

28270. All rights reserved. Reproduction 

without permission is strictly prohibited. 

Advertising: 

adsales@carolinaweeklynewspapers.com 

CEO 

Alain Lillie 

ADVERTISING 

Account Executives 

Cathy Kowalski 

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GRAPHICS 

Graphics Director 

Steve Pigg 

Graphics Artist 

Julie Austin 

Ad Coordinator/ 

Classified and Service Directory 

Victoria Vizard 

DISTRIBUTION 

Manager 

Gary Boneno 

Assistant Manager 

Harry Parlier 

Fin d us on Fa c e b o o k 

News 

Briefs 

Matthews to tackle 

graffiti? 

Armed with photographs of graffiti 

around town, Matthews resident 

Bryan Scott asked town commissioners 

Aug. 23 to take action against tagging 

popping up around town. 

Scott said he called police in April 

about graffiti behind the former Domino’s 

Pizza shop on Ames Street. The 

spray paint was still there this week, 

with some of it crossed out by another 

graffiti artist, he said. 

“The only reason I’m bringing this up 

is because if you allow this it’s only going 

to get worse,” Scott said. “I’d like Matthews 

to stay clean and friendly.” Moving 

to Matthews from Salt Lake City 

three years ago, Scott said he’s lived in 

other communities that require property 

owners to clean up graffiti within 

two days. 

Police Chief Rob Hunter said the 

department is actually already working 

on a “graffiti abatement” ordinance. 

The proposal, which has yet to come 

before town commissioners for a vote, 

could require property owners to clean 

up graffiti found on their property. 

The police department takes graffiti 

very seriously, Hunter said. 

“We do go out and photograph every 

single (act of graffiti) that is reported to 

us or ones that we see,” he said, noting 

some communities give grants to business 

owners to help clean up graffiti on 

their property. q 

Matthews resident Bryan Scott brought up his concerns about graffiti at the Aug. 23 board 

meeting. Graffetti behind El Valle mexican Restaurant (top) and behind the former Domino’s 

Pizza shop on Ames Street (bottom) are two of the problem areas in town, Scott said. Matthews 

Police Chief Rob Hunter says the department is already in the process of drafting an ordinance 

to allow police to enforce clean-up. 

Residents want 

incinerator action 

Matthews commissioners are expected 

to review a proposed resolution Aug. 30 

supporting the early implementation of 

stricter medical waste incinerator rules. 

The move comes after members 

of the Mint Hill-based Citizens for 

a Healthy Environment spoke at the 

Aug. 23 town commissioners’ meeting, 

urging Matthews to follow in the 

footsteps of Mecklenburg County commissioners 

and officials from neighboring 

Stallings. Residents are concerned 

about the health and environmental 

effects of BMWNC, Inc. at 3250 Campus 

Ridge Road in Matthews. 

A chapter of the Blue Ridge Environmental 

Defense League, CHE was 

formed by area residents this spring to 

fight the incinerator and bring awareness 

to what members say are “escalating” 

health concerns of people living 

near the company. 

“I do think it’s important to get on the 

record about this,” Mayor Jim Taylor 

said. 

BMWNC – owned by Cincinnatibased 

Healthcare Waste Solutions – 

burns waste from doctors’ offices and 

hospitals, including Presbyterian Hospital 

Matthews, such as old medical 

records, used syringes, removed organs, 

amputated limbs, chemotherapy waste 

and biopsy tissue. Though the company 

recently installed digital monitoring and 

recording devices on the incinerator’s 

pollution control systems, as required 

by Mecklenburg County Air Quality, the 

company still isn’t in “full compliance,” 

Director Don Willard said Aug. 24. 

Inspectors recently noticed smoke 

coming from the building on a day when 

the incerator wasn’t running and some 

procedures for loading waste that need 

improvement, Willard said. The company 

wasn’t cited for any violations, he 

said, but their permit renewal won’t be 

sent to federal officials for review until 

the issues are fixed, Willard said. 

BMWNC was cited for nine air-quality 

violations during three separate inspections 

from March 30 to April 16. Three 

of the violations involved potentially 

toxic smoke coming from the plant. q 

Want to help? 

Citizens for a Healthy Environment is 

still looking for volunteers to go door-todoor 

in neighborhoods within a three-mile 

radius of BMWNC to conduct a “cancer 

count.” For more information or to volunteer, 

visit www.chenc.org or call Catherine 

Mitchell at 704-545-4817. 

Is North Trade fixed? 

After weeks of rumbling around town 

about the raised crosswalk and other 

speed humps installed this summer on 

North Trade Street in downtown Matthews, 

some town commissioners said 

Aug. 23 they still aren’t completely satisfied. 

The slope on the raised crosswalk 

was lessened a few weeks ago and commissioners 

vowed then to come back to 

the table to discuss whether the street 

has been fixed. 

While Commissioners Nancy Moore, 

Paul Bailey and Suzanne Gulley feel it 

has, others aren’t so sure. 

Mayor Jim Taylor said the speed 

humps aren’t yet fixed. Staff will come 

back to commissioners with options and 

cost estimates to smooth out the humps 

or remove them and start over. 

Taylor said he’s especially concerned 

about the hump, or speed table, in front 

of the entrance to Matthews Station 

Street. 

“It’s achieving the goal of slowing 

people down, but it’s not right,” he said. 

“I’ve never seen one like that. I think this 

community has high expectations and 

high standards and (the speed humps) 

are not right.” 

Commissioner Kress Query agreed 

and noted he wasn’t happy about the 

solar power pole now required downtown 

to power lights in the crosswalk. 

“That’s the ugliest thing I’ve ever 

seen,” he said. “I don’t remember ever 

seeing that in any (plan) and I don’t 

think we should have that in our downtown.” 

Taylor said he too didn’t remember 

the pole drawn on any plans for the 

project. 

“It’s kind of an annoying thing to me 

and what’s frustrating is I didn’t know it 

was going to be there,” he said. q 

(see News Briefs on page 17) 

Kara Lopp/MMHW photos 



US News & World Report 

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Matthews, NC 28105 

704.545.0009 

Community 

Mint Hill author to help 

homeless cats with book 

by Mike Shaw 


Mint Hill residents for six years, Don 

and Susan Poe have a passion for helping 

homeless cats find a home. It all began 

with the rescue of Samson in 2006. 

“This is the true story of Samson, a little 

stray kitten who manages to make himself 

heard as 3,000 bicycle riders zip past him. 

One rider goes back the next day to find 

him and despite all odds, he does,” Poe 

writes on the back of his book, “Samson’s 

Rock.” 

Poe was that rider. He spotted the kitten 

during a charity bike ride in 2006 that 

took him from Rockingham, North Carolina 

to North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. 

Samson’s hometown was Society Hill, 

South Carolina. 

But the little furball soon developed 

severe kidney problems and after several 

seizures as his kidneys began failing, the 

Poes had Samson put down in early 2007. 

The kitten’s impact was stronger than Poe 

realized any animal could ever have on 

him, he said. 

That impression was used to write “Samson‘s 

Rock,” a commemorative piece written 

to pay tribute to Samson. His short life 

also inspired Poe to continue to reach out 

to homeless cats in the area. All proceeds 

from book sales will be given, in Samson’s 

name, to Faithful Friends Animal Sanctuary 

in Salisbury, North Carolina, Poe said. 

“I wanted to use his all-too-short life to 

raise money, sort of as his bequest to future 

homeless cats,” Poe said. 

Writing the book 

“Samson’s Rock” is Poe’s first published 

book. It was Samson’s death that encouraged 

him to do something out-of-theordinary. 

“When we lost the little guy, 

I was depressed for a while 

and wanted to do something 

to commemorate his life,” 

he said. “I couldn’t let him 

go without making his death 

mean something.” 

So, the Pfeiffer University 

psychology professor sat down 

to write. 

“[The book] wrote itself. 

It’s the story of his life and all I 

had to do is write it down,” Poe said. There 

where plenty of times that Poe struggled 

writing the book. “The hardest part was 

writing the chapter on his death. I put 

that off for weeks. I can’t even read it now 

without a tear forming,” he said. 

Comfort Publishing in Concord made 

the book a reality. 

Poe’s intentions for writing this book 

are completely selfless, he said. His three 

goals for this book are: to educate others 

about animal rescue; tell the story of Samson’s 

courage; and to sell as many books as 

possible to donate the money to Faithful 

Friends. 

Meet the author 

Poe, the dean of the School of Social and 

Behavioral Science at Pfeiffer, said he still 

doesn’t consider himself a writer. “I was 

not driven to it, but whenever I have written 

short things 

most people seem 

to like my writing 

style,” he said. 

Originally from 

Amherst, Massachusetts, 

Poe 

enjoys the active 

life. He’s a former 

Don Poe and Samson 

shortstop, diver 

and a marathoner. 

He describes himself 

as an “overthe-hill 

jock.” In 

addition to his 

love for sports and 

the outdoors, Poe loves to travel. 

He served as a Vietnamese linguist with 

the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. 

He’s also picked up French, German and 

Italian while traveling the world. 

Never considering himself an animal 

lover, Poe says Samson helped bring about 

a change in him. His wife agrees. 

“He’s caring, compassionate and always 

willing to open our home to yet another 

cat in need of love, shelter and food,” she 

said. 

Poe credits Susan, too, for developing a 

soft spot for cats. 

“I’ve always had cats, but only one or 

two,” Poe said. “[Susan] is the one who 

turned me into someone bordering 

on a crazy cat person 

and I’m very glad that she 

did.” 

When the couple retire, 

they plan to open a no-kill 

shelter in the area. Before 

they do, though, they’ll travel 

to Utah where a friend runs a 

similar organization and offers 

classes on how it’s done. 

“We will go there and learn 

how to make this come about 

ourselves, or sign on with an existing organization 

ourselves,” he said. q 

Want a copy? 

To buy a copy of “Samson’s Rock,” 

$10, call Poe at 704-545-3571 or e-mail 

donpoejr@carolina.rr.com. Poe says $4 of 

every purchase will be donated to Faithful 

Friends Animal Sanctuary in Salisbury, 

North Carolina. Poe will pay for shipping. 


The king of reinvention 

Meet best-selling author 

Eric Jerome Dickey 

For more than a dozen novels, best-selling 

author Eric Jerome Dickey (“Thieves Paradise,” 

“Liar’s Game”) has created characters 

and plots from an array of places around 

the globe. But the author’s most creative 

talents may have been 

in creating and sustaining 

a creative life. 

The once engineer, 

software developer and 

IT guru tapped into his 

imagination to create a 

Eric Jerome Dickey 

by Alison Woo 

alison@matthewsminthillweekly.com 

life that rivals his best 

plots. As an actor, poet, 

screenwriter and novelist, Dickey is living 

proof that dreams can come true. 

Though Dickey admittedly says he is 

“living his dream every day,” he also is 

ready to dispute the idea that that means 

it’s all easy. 

“People need to realize that it’s still work,” 

said the author as he began his book tour 

for his latest novel, “Tempted by Trouble.” 

“Even though I had an engineering 

degree, I went back to UCLA and took 

writing courses and started like a freshman 

and worked my way back up. … I still take 

classes and seminars covering everything – 

comedy, drama and horror – because you’ll 

be surprised. No matter what type of novel 

you’re writing it has elements of every type 

of work.” 

The quest to continue to brush up on 

his skills comes something as a surprise for 

a novelist who takes a very contemporary 

look at the ‘new economy’ with his 17th 

novel, “Trouble.” 

“At the heart of ‘Trouble’ is the character 

of Dmytryk who used to work in the auto 

industry and speaks multiple languages,” 

he said. “He’s married and it comes down 

to the point where he meets someone to 

rob a bank because they have no money.” 

Dickey’s novel pushes the boundaries 

of what good people can consider during 

extraordinarily difficult times. 

“That’s all part of being an adult,” Dickey 

said. “I don’t think that there are many people 

who are adults whose lives have turned 

out exactly the way they want it. The American 

dream used to be if you do this and 

this and this, you would be secure the rest 

of your life. But now people are over educated 

and can’t find employment.” 

The chance to write a heist novel is a 

dream come true. “For years, I’ve wanted 

Community 

to write a story about robbing banks – not 

unlike most authors who write crime novels 

- but the question I’ve always had is how 

do I make it original?” asked the Memphis 

native. “The character who ended up being 

Dmytryk was rewritten a dozen times to get 

it just right.” 

Dickey recently had a chance to fulfill 

a childhood dream. Marvel Comics 

asked him to author a six issue miniseries 

of comic books featuring Storm from the 

“X-Men” series. 

“One of the first things I ever wrote 

came from me and three other guys writing 

comic books; or actually just one comic 

book because there was no Kinko’s back 

then,” he laughed. “We created characters 

who all had these wonderful powers and 

they always got the girl.” 

It turned out to be good training for a 

budding novelist. 

“When you’re growing up no one says, 

‘You should do that for a living!’” he said. 

“It’s more like ‘Put that comic book down 

and pick up that shovel!’ But now, I do feel 

like I’m doing what I thought I was meant 

to be doing with my life.” q 

Meet the author 

Eric Jerome Dickey will be at Books-A- 

Million at 8301 Concord Mills Blvd., in 

Concord, at 7 p.m. Aug. 31 To hear our 

podcast with the author, visit our blog at 

http://bestbookblog.blogspot.com. 

Matthews Auto 

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Portion of proceeds to benefit 

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Matthews, NC 28105 

Community 

Homeowners using 

slightly more water 

by Andrew Batten 


Area homeowners used slightly more 

water during the last fiscal year than 

the previous year, reversing a downward 

trend in water use that’s occurred for 

several years, according to Charlotte- 

Mecklenburg Utilities. 

The average household used 7 ccfs, or 

5,236 gallons, of water per month from 

July 2009 through June 2010. Homeowners 

are billed by ccf, or 100 cubic 

feet of water, but most people think in 

terms of gallons. 

The new average represents a modest 

increase from an average 6.8 ccfs, or 

5,086 gallons, of water recorded between 

July 2008 and June 2009. 

“I think it’s a fairly modest increase,” 

said Maeneen Klein, a water conservation 

manager with Charlotte-Mecklenburg 

Utilities, after a recent meeting of the utility’s 

advisory committee. “Any increase is 

noted, however it is modest compared 

to more robust years when the economy 

was better.” 

Single-family residential water users, 

who account for 46 percent of the utility 

department’s customer base, began using 

less water in the 2007-08 fiscal year. That 

was due to drought restrictions and an 

economy that was beginning its slump, 

Klein said. 

The drought restrictions “severely curtailed 

the irrigation use but also the overall 

use so that we saw in the beginning 

of 2009 quite a down turn,” Klein said. 

“And then well into 2009, we began to 

pick up some pretty strong indicators of 

the effects of the economy.” 

The slight increase might be a trend, 

but utility officials are adopting a waitand-see 

approach, Klein told the advisory 

committee Aug. 19. Customers really 

got the conservation message during 

the drought, began using less water and 

haven’t returned to their pre-drought 

habits, Klein said. 

Advisory committee member George 

Beckwith, however, pointed to data that 

showed homeowners used more water 

from May through September 2009 

when compared to that same six months 

in 2008. 

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Community 

More money for Matthews 

restoration project 

Commissioners give $5K 

for Massey-Clark house 

by Kara Lopp 


Construction projects often reveal 

unexpected challenges and the restoration 

of the Massey-Clark house in downtown 

Matthews has been no different. 

During the six-month project workers 

have discovered rotted window frames, 

poor framing in the kitchen, a portion of 

pine flooring that couldn’t be saved and 

even a defunct brick well underneath the 

back addition to the house, said Paula 

Lester, president of the Matthews Historical 

Foundation. 

“That’s what you find when you’re trying 

to bring things up to today’s standards 

but preserve as much of the original as 

possible,” she said. 

But combining those challenges with 

a slow fundraising campaign, the foundation 

turned to the town for help this 

week to cover the remaining $5,500 in 

expenses. The measure was approved 

by town commissioners, without discussion, 

Aug. 23. The town has already given 

$75,000 from tourism funds to help with 

the original $150,000 estimated cost. 

The historical foundation, which has 

raised about $16,000 so far, was forced 

to get a bank loan to finish the project, 

Lester said. The foundation has sold 33 

brick pavers to be placed in front of the 

house and is still seeking donations, Lester 

said. 

The bulk of the extra cash from the 

town, $3,500, will fund landscaping 

which includes a retaining wall and 

$2,000 will buy three lockable doors to 

the room planned for use by Matthews 

Police as a satellite office. Plans for the 

1880s house also include an artist’s gallery 

and office for the historical foundation. 

A Sept. 25 grand opening is in the 

works, Lester said, noting that mantels 

installed above the house’s fireplaces 

were saved from a house on John Street 

torn down in about 2002. Construction 

is being spearheaded by SQ Construction, 

owned by Scott Query, the son of 

Matthews Commissioner Kress Query. q 

Want to help? 

The Matthews Historical Foundation 

still needs donations for the Massey-Clark 

house restoration project. Commemorative 

bricks are also being sold. For more 

information or to buy a brick, visit www. 

matthewshistoricalfoundation.org or call 

Becky Willard at 704-846-6693. 

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7300 Carmel Executive Park Dr. Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28226 

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steveonisick@remax.net 

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The Massey-Clark house at 232 N. Trade St. in downtown Matthews in nearing completion, but 

donations are still needed. The town gave an extra $5,500 this week to help. 

Utilities 

(continued from page 10) 

But Klein reminded him that summer 

increases aren’t just due to more irrigation. 

“People take more showers, do more 

laundry in the summer,” Klein said. 

The bigger indicator of more irrigation 

might be the increase in the irrigation 


account group. That group tracks irrigation 

through separate water meters, 

which are required on all new homes or 

businesses that have sprinkler systems. 

Those accounts used an average of 21 

ccfs in the 12 months ending on June 

30 compared to 20 ccfs in the preceding 

12 months. Those irrigation accounts 

used the most water in August and 

September. q 

fan page 

to get updates on 

upcoming stories and 

breaking local news. 


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Page Date: 12 07/02/2010 • Aug. 27-Sept. 04:58:AM2, 2010 • Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly PAPAGEORGE JUDITH 

485 

8040 Providence Rd. 

Hwy 74 

Community 

HELP 


For your total family eye care! 

 

 

® 

Ivan Mac, MD 

 

 

 

704.234.1930 

Matthews HELP Center, 119 N. Ames St. 

Russell Fry, MD 

 

 

 

Dara Khalatbari, MD 

www.metrolinaeye.com 

“That’s really not crisis assistance 

when you’re booking that far out,” said 

Kim Rhodarmer, executive director of the 

center. “Based on the economic forecast, 

we should expect to see these numbers 

for at least the next year, if not longer.” 

But thanks to the HELP Center volunteer 

board, Rhodarmer is hiring another 

licensed, part-time social worker. 

And the response has been overwhelming, 

she said. Within seven days 

of posting the job at www.careerbuilder. 

com Rhodarmer received more than 160 

resumés from as far away as Pennsylvania, 

she said, noting even people with 

doctorates were applying for the parttime 

position. 

Because of the response, Rhodarmer 

is no longer accepting resumés. She 

hopes to fill the position by the end of 

September. The center currently has one 

licensed, part-time social worker and 

Rhodarmer, a licensed social worker, has 

been seeing clients too. 

With a 30-year history in Matthews, 

the HELP Center provides qualified 

individuals and families with life’s basic 

needs: shelter, food and clothing. Clients 

can receive help paying their mortgage, 

utility or rent bills, receive free clothing 

 

 

 

Melissa Shipley, MD 

(see HELP on page 13) 

Jason Berkebile , OD 

 

 

 

704.289.5455 


Kara Lopp[/MMHW photo

Community 

HELP 


or groceries or even get help paying for 

prescription medication. 

The decision to hire an additional 

social worker was also fueled by the 

board of directors’ desire for Rhodarmer 

to spend less time seeing clients and 

more time in the community building 

partnerships and seeking grant funding, 

said Ed Grant, board chairman. 

“We all had been thinking that this day 

was going to come,” he said. “We really 

wanted (Rhodarmer) to be working at a 

higher level, to be thinking about things 

more strategically, to be working with business 

partners. “Beyond that, even (with 

staff) working at a double-time pace and 

(Rhodarmer) helping out ... the appointment 

time turnaround had just gotten too 

long. We thought we needed to act upon 

this now. We don’t need to delay it.” 

During the 2009-10 fiscal year, the 

center gave away 2,810 weeks worth of 

food to local families; spent more than 

$137,000 to keep people in their homes; 

spent about $86,000 to pay for clients’ 

electricity and about $9,000 to pay clients’ 

water bills before they were turned 

off. The center, which serves a five-mile 

radius around Matthews including the 

Union County towns of Stallings and 

Indian Trail, continues to see middleclass 

families hit by the recession facing 

foreclosure or eviction. 

It’s a “dramatic change” from the center 

Grant remembers three years ago 

when he took a seat on the board. 

“Then it was still kind of a small operation. 

Things moved at a much slower 

pace,” he said. “We didn’t have the volume 

of traffic at Backporch Treasures 

Thrift Store and we certainly didn’t have 

the influx of clients. The pace today is so 

much more intense. 

“But, on the other hand, the community 

has really responded. The giving is 

great, our ability to get grants has really 

increased and the donations to the thrift 

store and food pantry have increased.” 

Want to help? 

The Matthews HELP Center is in dire 

need of donations for its food pantry. 

For a list of recommended items, visit 

www.matthewshelpcenter.org. Cleaning 

out your closet? The center also accepts 

donations of new and gently used clothing, 

children’s toys and household items 

for resale in its Backporch Treasures 

Thrift Store, open to the public Monday- 

Friday 9 a.m.- 4:15 p.m. and Saturday 

9 a.m.- noon. Drop off donations at the 

store, 119 N. Ames St., Matthews. Tax 

receipts are available. 

‘New norm’ 

When Rhodarmer was hired about 

18 months ago as director, the center 

served about 48 families per month. 

Since then, as local jobs have disappeared, 

those numbers have ballooned. 

“I thought we had hit our highest point 

when we served 344 clients in November 

(2009),” Rhodarmer said. But that 

wasn’t the record. Center staff hit that 

mark in June seeing 381 clients. July was 

a close second with 379 clients. 

The organization has reached a “new 

norm,” she says. 

Sombo 


on $103,000 bond, according to the 

Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office 

website. He is expected to appear in court 

Sept. 1. 

According to the police report, the 

alleged incident took place on July 29 at 

a home in Charlotte. 

Sombo, who played in the Bulldogs’ 

season-opening game on Aug. 20 at Winston-Salem 

Mount Tabor, transferred 

to Butler from East Mecklenburg High 

School for the 2010-11 school year. Butler 

head football coach Mike Newsome 

said Aug. 24 he wasn’t aware of Sombo’s 

arrest. 

It was unclear Aug. 26 if Sombo was 

attending classes this week or if he will be 

able to play in upcoming football games. 

During the season-opener, he recorded 

three sacks and seven tackles. 

“It’s in (Charlotte Mecklenburg 

Schools’) hands,” Newsome said. “Once 

they make a decision, Butler football will 

have to go with whatever they decide.” 

Butler Principal Will Leach wouldn’t 

comment on the arrest Aug. 26 and 

directed all questions to Charlotte- 

Mecklenburg Schools’ Communications 

Department. Calls to the department 

weren’t returned by press time. q 

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Community 

Parking problem? 

Matthews Station Street 

gets parking overhaul 

Attention first-time home sellers: 

charlotte 

ajan Pro 

by Kara Lopp 


Does downtown Matthews have a 

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Some town commissioners think so, 

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leading to a 4-3 vote Aug. 23 to implement 

parking restrictions in the Matthews 

Station development off North 

Trade Street where Mexican restaurant 

Pure Taqueria is expected to open in 

October. 

Taqueria co-owner Michael Ott was 

one of about a dozen downtown business 

owners who attended a meeting 

HGTV is looking for you. 

The home and garden network is 

casting for the third season of “My First 

Sale.” Producers are looking for “fun, 

high-energy” first-time sellers who will 

allow a camera crew to follow them and 

their realtor from the very first step of 

selling their home to the final closing. 

“We basically want to see their trials, 

tribulations and success,” said Marybeth 

Brush, an associate producer working 

on casting in the area. “We’re looking 

for unique stories; something that if 

you’re a viewer you’ll want to stay tuned 

to and root for them.” 

“My First Sale” focused on Dallas, 

Washington, D.C., Denver and Philadelphia 

in the first two seasons, and has 

now turned its attention to the southeast. 

Along with the Charlotte area, the 

show is also casting in Miami. 

“We wanted to capture the magic of 

the southeast,” Brush said. “The goal is 

to showcase the city of Charlotte as well 

as touch upon the mountains which will 

be a great contrast to the beaches of 

Miami. The homes, the people and the 

land will feel vastly different and give 

our viewers much to enjoy.” 

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of the Downtown Merchants Group to 

talk about parking. The new parking 

plan came out of that meeting. Though 

the plan only overhauls parking in the 

Matthews Station development, only 

three Matthews Station business owners 

attended: Subway’s Jeff Faw, Pure’s 

Ott and Paul Jamison, of Jamison Realty, 

who will be moving his office to the 

development. 

The plan calls for adding 52 spaces for 

two-hour parking Monday-Friday from 

8 a.m.-6 p.m. for a total of 132 two-hour 

Crews will follow first-time sellers for 

about 10 to 15 days. Brush hopes to cast 

about 60 sellers to have plenty of stories 

to pick from. 

“We want energetic people who are 

100 percent on board and really looking 

forward to being on the show,” Brush 

said. 

The show comes to the area at a time 

when the Queen City’s housing market 

shows increased signs of struggle. 

The region saw 1,968 home sales 

closed in July, compared with 2,223 in 

July 2009, according to the Charlotte 

Regional Realtor Association. That news 

was offset slightly by a 2 percent increase 

in the average sales price for homes over 

that time period, with homes in the 

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spaces in Matthews Station and adding 

eight 30-minute spaces split between 

two areas. The changes are expected to 

be made before Pure Taqueria opens in 

October, town spokeswoman Annette 

Privette-Keller said. 

These changes are in addition to 

the 28 existing three-hour spaces. The 

town also has a 90-space lot next to the 

railroad tracks on North Trade Street, 

which includes permit-only spaces for 

commuters or local employees. As of this 

(see Parking on page 16) 

region selling for $217,320, on average. 

“My First Sale” is 30 minutes long, 

with each episode focusing on one seller. 

Filming will begin as soon as Brush 

finds the right sellers, and likely finish 

in spring 2011. She’s excited about how 

things have gone so far. 

“Everyone has been so kind and welcoming 

in Charlotte,” Brush said. “We 

can’t wait to start shooting.” q 

Want to be a star? 

If you’re selling a home for the first 

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Community 

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Firefighters use former Mint 

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Michael Porowski/MMHW photos 

Firefighters from Idlewild, Matthews and Mint Hill fire departments have had unusual access to 

a large building for training this week – a school building. The building, on the campus of Queen’s 

Grant Preparatory High School at 10323 Idlewild Road in Mint Hill, must come down as part of the 

school’s plans to build a new campus. The late 60s building, the former home to Idlewild Country 

Club, is scheduled to be burned Aug. 28 as part of another fire training exercise. q 

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ventilation. (Center) Mint Hill firefighters, “trapped” under fallen “debris,” radio for help during 

a rapid intervention drill, used to train firefighters to rescue downed or trapped colleagues 

in emergency situations. (Right) Matthews firefighter Alan Platock practices using a saw on the 

roof to cut holes for ventilation. 

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Community 

Parking 


week, only 26 people had purchased a 

$10 permit to use the spaces, town planner 

Jay Camp said. There are about 600 

public parking spaces throughout downtown 

Matthews, he said. 

Mayor Jim Taylor, who supported the 

plan, said it’s meant to be a temporary 

fix. 

If parking is tight in Matthews Station 

it’s because business employees park in 

spots that should be reserved for customers. 

And town commissioners don’t 

need to get involved, Commissioner 

Kress Query said, who voted against the 

measure with commissioners Paul Bailey 

and Nancy Moore. 

“Why can’t the merchants work 

together? It doesn’t seem like they want 

to work it out or they would have been 

(at the meeting),” Query said. 

Bailey said he didn’t “understand” the 

need for the parking plan. 

“This should be a self-regulated situation,” 

Bailey said. “You’ve got somebody 

upstairs in an office that simply refuses 

to park elsewhere. We can go out there 

and do all this stuff, but really it has to be 

the people working in the businesses. 

“I think the business owners can come 

together on this. I’m sorry, but I’ve ... 

never had a problem finding a place to 

park (downtown). I didn’t get right in 

front of the door. Yeah, I had to walk, 

but what difference does that make?” 

Matthews Station Street at noon Aug. 25 still 

showed open parking spaces. 

Moore said walking to their destination 

is probably part of the problem. 

“When people are upset because they 

can’t park three feet away from (their 

destination), then we have a ‘parking 

problem,’” she said. 

Supporters of the plan say it’s a necessary 

“nudge” for employees of downtown 

businesses to park further away 

from storefronts. 

“I think this is one step in what needs 

to be a series of steps ... to help the 

merchants,” Commissioner John Urban 

said. 

Commissioner Jeff Miller agreed. 

“Couldn’t we provide better support 

to downtown businesses by looking for 

a solution?” he said. q 

What do you think? 

Do you think downtown Matthews has 

a parking problem? What do you think 

of the new parking plan? E-mail your 

thoughts to kara@matthewsminthill 

weekly.com and we’ll print your response 

as a Letter to the Editor. 

Kara Lopp/MMHW photo 

Johnson Building 

(includes Kristopher’s 

Bar & Restaurant) 

Subway 

This Saturday at 7:15 

August 28, 2010 

Minor League Baseball 

Major League Fun! 

BUY TICKETS ONLINE 

charlotteknights.com 


Dilworth Coffee 

Bean Town Tavern 

2 hour (132 spaces) 

30 minutes (8 spaces) 

all day (251 spaces) 

permit (23 spaces) 

private (110 spaces) 

study area (110 spaces) 

Matthews 

Chamber of 

Commerce 

Thai Taste 

Town Hall/ 

Library 

Matthews commissioners voted 4-3 Aug. 23 to implement more time limits on public parking in 

the Matthews Station Street development downtown. The map (above) shows the number of 

spaces, where they are located and how they are will be restricted. 


Map courtesy of Town of Matthews

News Briefs 


Matthews to pay 

overtime for code 

enforcement work 

Illegal signs beware: Matthews officials 

are looking for you. 

After concerns about the quality of code 

enforcement in Matthews since Code 

Enforcement Officer Henry Snyder retired 

last month, commissioners approved a temporary 

fix this week. The town will pay current 

planning department staff members 

$2,500 in overtime to conduct weekly “sign 

sweeps” through town, tossing any signs 

posted illegally. The town budget calls for 

the full-time position to be left unfilled. 

Commissioners also may consider altering 

the nuisance complaint process to 

ensure a faster clean-up time. q 

Traffic change 

in Matthews 

Motorists can no longer turn left from 

Pleasant Plains Road onto Marque Place, 

according to an e-mail alert from Matthews 

Police. 

This neighborhood road has been used 

in the past by commuting traffic to cut 

through the residential area to avoid waiting 

for the left turn signal at Weddington 

and Pleasant Plains roads, police said. q 

Fifth Third announces 

new Mint Hill 

employee 

Bobby Downey has joined Fifth Third 

Bank as a senior mortgage loan officer to 

serve customers in Mint 

Hill, according to a press 

release from the bank. 

Downey, who has 

eight years of mortgage 

industry experience, is a 

native Charlottean and 

Bobby Downey 

a graduate of Charlotte 

Catholic High School, 

the release said. Meet Downey at the Fifth 

Third Banking Center, 7116 Matthews- 

Mint Hill Road, in Mint Hill. q 

Former Mathews 

mayor launches ‘green’ 

company 

Former Matthews mayor and state legislator 

Shawn LeMond has launched a 

“green” company in Davidson and is now 

part of the town’s green-business incubator. 

LeMond served as Matthews mayor 

from 1987 to 1991. 

Sustainable Energy Community Development 

Corp., where LeMond serves as 

vice president and chief operating officer, 

bundles New Market Tax Credits with federal 

and state renewable energy tax credits. 

The goal is to create new models for 

renewable energy installations of North 

Carolina-manufactured-and-installed solar 

systems in rural and low income areas. 

The company’s first project is in Plymouth, 

in Washington County, whose poverty 

rate now exceeds 37 percent. Sustainable 

Energy has two employees and plans 

to grow to eight to 15 by the end of 2011, 

including sales/marketing and project 

managers. 

The company has joined the Davidson 

incubator called Project for innovation, 

Energy and Sustainability, or PiES, which 

provides office space as well as business 

guidance and services from business counselors 

and academic advisors. The incubator, 

launched in January, accepted its first 

two member companies in June. q 

Millions to fund 

wireless public safety 

network 

Charlotte’s CharMeck Connect project 

will receive a $16.7 million grant for a 

wireless public safety broadband network. 

The network will be used for public 

safety agencies in the city and county, 

according to a press release from North 

Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan’s office. 

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“I am thrilled … Charlotte is receiving 

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Hagan said in the release. “Improving the 

broadband capabilities of Charlotte’s public 

safety agencies will help keep our neighborhoods 

safe.” 

Through the program, 24 new wireless 

towers will be constructed, bringing more 

than 11,000 public safety users onto the 

system and increasing the total number of 

towers on the network to 30. The additions 

will allow first responders to have access 

to live streaming video, computer-aided 

dispatch, automatic vehicle location and 

real-time criminal database. q 

(see News Briefs on page 18) 

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(s10) 


TWC-9014_RR_Carolina_Weekly_7.365x9.5.indd 1 

Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly • Aug. 27-Sept 2, 2010 • Page 17 

7/20/10 12:48 PM

Community 

News Briefs 


Interested in adoption? 

Those interested in learning about the 

adoption process can attend an educational 

event Sept. 18 in Matthews. 

The event, hosted by Southern Piedmont 

Adoptive Families of America, Inc., 

will allow participants to get their questions 

answered and learn how to start the 

adoption process. A presentation by Pathways 

for Learning aimed at helping kids do 

better in school, will also be included. The 

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event will be held at 2301 Stevens Mill 

Road, Matthews, from 9 a.m. to noon. q 

Volunteers needed 

for BBQ event 

A number of volunteers are still needed 

for Time Warner Cable BBQ & Blues, 

which will be held in uptown Charlotte 

Sept. 10 and 11. 

Volunteers are needed for committees 

including assisting with the judging area, 

headquarters, overall competition, programming, 

production and logistics and 

recycling. Volunteers will receive one free 

 

 

 

 

 

lunch coupon, which includes a BBQ 

sandwich, side and a drink. Each volunteer 

also will receive an official BBQ volunteer 

T-shirt. 

Those interested in volunteering must 

first sign up with Hands On Charlotte by 

going to www.handsoncharlotte.org. q 

Matthews announces 

new garbage schedule 

Beginning Sept. 13, about 2,400 households 

or businesses in Matthews will 

switch their garbage collection day when 

a Wednesday pick-up day is added, a press 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We don’t just stand behind our windows with the 

industry’s strongest warranty, we stand on them! 

 

 

 

 

release from the Town of Matthews said. 

The change will help crews more efficiently 

balance the number of stops made 

daily. Currently, garbage and recycling are 

picked up four days a week in Matthews. 

The change will affect about 26 percent 

of the about 9,000 garbage collection 

points in Matthews, the release said. 

Affected residents or business owners 

will receive a letter from the town and 

additional reminders will be attached to 

garbage containers for the next two weeks, 

the release said. Residents will not receive 

new garbage carts or bins. 

For more information, call Matthews 

Public Works at 704-847-3640 or visit 

www.matthewsnc.com. 

Impacted streets include: 

• Alexander Street 

• Ames Street 

• Amir Circle 

• Arborlea Court 

• Avington Court 

• Bellasera Way 

• Bent Wood Court 

• Birkenhead Lane 

• Bitter End Court 

• Bloom Wood Lane 

• Blossom Wood Court 

• Brandywine Drive 

• Brenwycke Lane 

• Burnwood Court 

• Bydeford Court 

• Casetta Court 

• Cerretto Drive 

• Charles Street 

• Chateau Street 

• Chimney Hill Road 

• Chimore Road 

• Circa Drive 

• Clearbrook Drive 

• Club View Lane 

• Cochrane Woods Lane 

• Country Place Drive 

• Covenant Church Drive 

• Creekwood Court 

• Crestdale Road 

• Crestdale Crossing Drive 

• Crews Road 

• Dark Wood Court 

• Dean Hall Court 

• Deer Creek Drive 

• Demaree Drive 

• DeVore Lane 

• Eberle Lane 

• Edenwood Court 

• Edgeland Court 

• Evian Lane 

• Falesco Lane 

• Falkenburg Court 

• Fence Post Court 

• Forest Drive 

• Forestwood Drive 

• Fortuna Court 

• Four Lakes Drive 

• Freemont Street 

• Gateshead Lane 

• George Clay Lane 

• Gilchrest Lane 

• Glenshannon Road 

• Greylock Ridge Road 

• Gum Wood Court 

• Hartis Lane 

• High Hill Court 

• Irwin Parkway 

• Ivey Wood Lane 

• Jeffers Drive 

• Jefferson Drive 

• Jerry Lane 

• West John St. 

• East John St., from Trade 

Street to Interstate 485 

• Kale Wood Street 

• Kent Drive 

• Library Drive 

• Lightwood Lane 

• Linden Street 

• Main Street 

• Marjorie Drive 

• Markwell Drive 

• Matthews Street 

• Matthews Chapel Street 

• Matthews Crossing 

• Matthews Estates Road 

• Matthews School Drive 

• Matthews-Mint Hill 

Road, from Matthews 

Township Parkway to 

Idlewild Road and from 

Matthews Street to 

Matthews Township 

Parkway 

• McDowell Street 

• McLeod Street 

• Meadow Lake Drive 

• Merancas Drive 

• Mezzo Court 

• Mondavi Court 

• Morris Road 

• Moss Creek Road 

• Newburg Lane 

• Oakhaven Drive 

• Oscar Drive 

• Old Depot Drive 

• Overcash Drive 

• Overwood Drive 

• Park Square Place 

• Phillips Road 

• Phillips Woods Road 

• Polo Club Boulevard 

• Polo View Boulevard 

• Rainbow Ridge Drive 

• Red Porch Drive 

• Reid Harkey Road 

• River Banks Road 

• Robinlynn Road 

• Rockwell View 

• Rosso Road 

• Rutledge Hill Drive 

• Sadie Drive 

• Sagemont Drive 

• Sam Newell Road, Trade 

Street to Independence 

Boulevard only 

• Selma Burke Road 

• Senna Lane 

• Shrewsbury Lane 

• Sonoma Lane 

• Taconic Place 

• Talbot Place 

• Tall Pines Lane 

• Tank Town Road 

• Team Road 

• Timber Knoll Drive 

• North Trade Street 

• South Trade Street, from 

John Street to the 

Matthews Athletic & 

Recreation Association 

• North Traverton Street 

• Vicino Court 

• Vinecrest Court 

• Westchire Lane 

• Whitefriars Lane 

• Wilcrest Lane 

• Williamstown Road 

• Winter Wood Road 


Great Harvest Bread Company bakes for a cause 

by Erica Oglesby 


Sunday was an audition of sorts for 

Daisy. Nail the part, and she could have a 

new family by the end of the day. 

Ten weeks ago, Daisy, a mixed-breed 

dog, was found near Nations Ford Road 

in Charlotte alone and homeless. Skinny, 

malnourished and with little hope of survival, 

Daisy was taken in by Charlotte Animal 

Care and Control volunteer Michael 

Melandro and his wife, Sarah. 

“We decided to try and help (the animals) 

out, rather than complain about it,” 

said Melandro, who has been fostering 

animals for some time. 

Attending the Great Harvest Bread 

Company’s fourth annual Animal Kneads 

Day fundraiser, the Melandro’s were hoping 

to find Daisy a permanent home while 

spreading the word about the importance 

of spaying and neutering animals to reduce 

the population of unwanted and unloved 

pets. 

“A foster dog is the best kind of dog you 

can get,” Melandro said. 

Jeff and Janet Ganoung, owners of Great 

Harvest Bread Company, know that. The 

two started Animal Kneads Day four years 

ago. 

Though their 6420 Rea Road location is 

typically closed on Sundays, the Ganoung’s 

and many of their staff showed up in the 

wee hours of the morning Sunday, Aug. 

24, to begin baking bread for the annual 

fundraiser. Asking for a donation of $10 

per loaf of bread, the company hoped to 

bring in a total of $10,000 – with all proceeds 

going to Animal Care and Control 

for more spay/neuter clinics. That much 

money could pay for five clinics. The event 

raised about $8,500. 

“It is overwhelming the number 

of animals people throw out,” Jeff 

Ganoung said. He believes that by 

raising awareness of the benefits of 

spaying and neutering animals and 

lowering the cost of the procedures, 

it is possible to eventually empty Animal 

Care and Control centers. 

“We believe we can make a difference,” 

he added. “It is not going to 

happen overnight, but it is going to 

happen.” 

The Mecklenburg County 

area has an estimated 400,000 

cats and dogs – many of which are strays. 

Animal Control had to euthanize 11,528 

cats and dogs last year, many of which 

could have been adopted. 

With so many unwanted animals, Animal 

Care and Control began offering a 

free, public spay and neuter assistance 

program funded by donations and grants. 

Each clinic costs around $1,700 to operate, 

and an average of 55 to 65 animals can 

be spayed or neutered. 

“There is a great need for this assistance,” 

said Melissa Knicely, of Animal 

Care and Control. 

As for Daisy, she didn’t find a new home 

on Sunday. But it wasn’t from a lack of trying. 

Anyone interested in meeting Daisy 

should call Melandro at 704-534-0705. q 

Community 

(Above) Remington, a 4-year-old Great Dane up for adoption with the Great 

Dane Friends of Ruff Love, relaxes at the fourth annual Great Harvest Bread 

Company’s Animal Kneads Day fundraiser. (Left) Daisy, a mixed-breed dog found 

near Nations Ford Road, waits to meet a new family. 

Want to help? 

Animal Kneads Day may be over for 

this year, but you can make donations to 

Animal Care and Control by visiting www. 

cmpd.org, scrolling to the very bottom of 

the page and clicking Animal Care and 

Control. Applications for the free spay/ 

neuter clinics are available. 

Erica Oglesby/MMHW photos 

 

Fun, Meal, Live Band, The Best Value in Town 

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Singles and Married Couples over 40 

Doors open at 7:00pm 

Join for $20 and get first night FREE 

 

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By Jove! 

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Community! 

LEVINE SENIOR CENTER 

7 th ANNUAL GOLF CHALLENGE 

MONDAY 

OCTOBER 11 

at Rolling Hills 

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2722 Roosevelt Blvd. 

Monroe, NC 

Sign-in for registered players at 10:30am 

Registration deadline: 

Monday, Oct. 4th 

Pre-tournament lunch at noon 

Shotgun start at 1:00pm 

Dinner & awards ceremony 

following the challenge 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charlotte’s Premier Assisted Living & Memory Care Community 

Please contact Alvin Lewis at 704.882.4180 or 704.400.2744, 

or contact Dahn Jenkins at 704.846.4654 at Levine Senior Center. 


 

 

A Bell Senior Living Community 


Community 

Real Help 

Rev. Tony 

Marciano 

by Rev. Tony Marciano 


As we are within days of the end of the 

summer, I hope (if you have young children 

and good homeowner’s liability insurance) 

you’ll make a wonderful memory for 

you and your children. 

Invest in a Slip ‘n Slide. 

Did you ever have one 

when you were a kid? 

When you were growing 

up, did you convince 

your parents to purchase 

you a Slip ‘n Slide? If 

you don’t know what a 

Slip ‘n Slide is, it’s a yellow 

mat, roughly three 

feet wide and 20 feet 

long. It attaches to your 

garden hose and shoots water along the 

side of this ribbon of yellow plastic. 

You stake the Slip ‘n Slide down on your 

lawn and hook up the hose. It gets soaking 

wet. You run and slide down on the yellow 

Slip and Slide 

Guest column 

for Real Living 

mat, having a great deal of fun. It’s wonderful. 

When I was 10, my friend, Rich, convinced 

me to go in partnership with him 

and buy it. Being the trusting soul that I 

am, he also convinced me to set it up in 

my backyard. I didn’t know what a Slip ‘n 

Slide was. Neither did I know what it could 

do to your lawn. We laid it out, hooked it 

up to the hose, and my friends came over. 

We had a great time playing with it. My 

father came home and just watched all of 

us enjoying ourselves and having a great 

time on the Slip ‘n Slide. 

After two days of running the water, my 

mother decided she didn’t want the world’s 

largest water bill and told me to take it 

down. I figured no big problem. I would 

unhook the hose, wrap it up, and move it 

to somebody else’s yard and continue to 

have some fun. 

The problem was when I rolled up the 

Slip ‘n Slide, all the grass underneath was 

dead. It didn’t exist. There was a 3x20 foot 

patch of brown dirt. Not a single blade of 

grass was beneath it. 

I was in trouble. 

I considered running away from home 

because I knew my father was going to kill 

me. When he came home, the amazing 

thing was he wasn’t upset with me. Rather, 

he just said we’ll deal with it. 

He was glad we had a good time playing 

with the Slip ‘n Slide. Needless to say, I was 

grateful for his understanding. I also never 

set up a Slip ‘n Slide in my backyard – ever 

again. (My kids did, but only for 24 hours. 

I learned the hard way as a 10 year old.) 

My father’s reaction to my destroying his 

backyard reminds me of the scripture verse 

which says, “See what love the father has 

given us that we should be called children 

of God and so we are.” I realized at that 

moment that my father’s love for me was 

not predicated on my performance (i.e., 

I destroyed his backyard lawn). I could 

see that his love for me was based on the 

position I held – that of being his son. We 

would deal with the lawn at a later date. 

It’s easy to live our life from a performance 

mode rather than our position. We 

get caught up being busy “doing things” to 

legitimize our position. Understand that 

the “position” is something we have that 

has nothing to do with our performance. 

Years ago I met the president of the New 

Jersey National Bank. He gave me a tour 

of their corporate offices. Then he showed 

me the physical office of the president. 

Without saying “he,” he held the office of 

the President of the Bank. He didn’t have 

to say it. I knew I was in the presence of 

the leader of the bank. Most importantly, 

he knew his position. 

So before this summer is over, go buy a 

Slip ‘n Slide and have some fun. After your 

kids destroy your lawn, tell them you still 

love them. You’ll deal with it tomorrow. 

They’ll remember your words for a lifetime. 

q 

Tony Marciano is the executive director of 

the Charlotte Rescue Mission and an occasional 

Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly columnist. 

He is available to speak to your group. Call 

704-334-4635 ext. 213 to schedule him. 

adopt a pet 

I’m Katie, a 10- 

week-old Labrador 

mix puppy. My previous 

owners tossed 

my Mom and me 

out on the side of 

the road to survive 

on our own. Lucky 

for us, we were both 

found and picked up 

by volunteers with 

Matthews’ S.A.F.E. Katie 

Animal Haven. My 

Mom and I are in separate foster homes now but both 

of us are doing great. I love to play and romp outside 

in the fenced yard with the “big” kids but then I like to 

come inside and snuggle with my foster family, both 

two and four legged. I love other dogs and am a very 

big, cuddly girl. I’m really smart too: I’ve learned to sit 

on command for my food without being told. 

To meet Katie, e-mail ourfosters@yahoo.com. All 

adoptions are finalized with a home visit. 

Carolinas Premiere! 

Now through September 19. Belk Theater 

Congratulations 

to the 

 

of Davidson, NC! 

Savvy Social Security Planning: 

What Baby Boomers Need to Know to 

MAXIMIZE RETIREMENT INCOME. 

This informative seminar, presented by The Society for Financial Awareness, covers 

the basics of Social Security and reveals strategies for maximizing your benefits. 

It is provided FREE to the public 

at the following times and location: 

Tuesday, August 31st at 6:30 pm And Thursday, September 2nd at 6:30 pm 

Location: 

Matthews Chamber of Commerce Building, 210 Matthews Station Street 

(across from the Matthews Library) 

RSVP is required. 

Call 704-708-5001 or email mariaromeo@1APG.com to register. 

Their creative entry won them 4 tickets 

to Opening Night of the hit 

Broadway Musical, Mary Poppins! 



CMS 


No cash for charters? 

Charter schools such as Mint Hill’s Queen’s 

Grant and Socrates Academy in Matthews 

will likely not see any of the federal cash 

awarded to North Carolina this week. It’s a 

situation officials don’t expect to change. 

“The likelihood is quite remote,” Queen’s 

Grant’s Norman George said. “(The state) is 

not likely to share any proceeds with charter 

schools.” 

North Carolina Department of Public 

Instruction spokesman Sarah Clarke had no 

comment when asked where charter schools 

fit in the state’s funding plans. She pointed 

out that the program is still in its infancy and 

details like that would be decided later. 

But the state itself brought charter schools 

into the discussion, including them in the list 

of schools working toward education reform 

in the Race to the Top application. 

“North Carolina has moved forward systematically 

and aggressively to address the 

state board goals throughout all of the state’s 

local education agencies, which together 

contain approximately 2,500 traditional and 

charter schools,” the application reads. 

“Many charters, like our district counterparts, 

are seeing their budgets stretched 

and deserve their share of the award,” said 

North Carolina Sen. Eddie Goodall, who also 

serves as president for the North Carolina 

Alliance for Public Charter Schools. 

“With North Carolina’s looming fiscal 

deficit and knowing our state’s taxpayers 

have to pay the federal taxes to fund Race 

to the Top, naturally we want our share of 

the $4.35 billion program,” he said. 

– Brian Carlton 


The money can be spent anytime before 

late 2012, he said. 

Though Gorman could have used all 

$25 million this year to, among other 

things, hire back some laid off teachers, 

the superintendent recommended to the 

Board of Education this week to save some 

of it for a rainy day. 

Gorman hinted at those plans Aug. 21 

telling his audience that the district will 

“continue to be conservative in our recommendations” 

about spending. The superintendent 

is already looking at a future 

year where he could be forced to lay off 

more teachers. 

“If you use teachers as a currency … 

that nearly $50 million is about 1,000 

teachers,” Gorman said, adding though 

that all the cuts wouldn’t come from laying 

off educators. 

Gorman’s only other hope would be 

for either the federal government to pass 

another stimulus package, or the state 

economy to see a massive recovery. He 

acknowledged both options were unlikely. 

Gorman also talked at length Aug. 21 

with one man whose son was laid off by 

CMS during budget cuts. Though the 

district is hiring about 140 teachers this 

month, Gorman acknowledged that some 

local teachers won’t be brought back if 

more qualified teachers are available – 

even if that means finding talent out of 

state. 

Gorman says the district has been bombarded 

with resumés from laid off teachers 

from Illinois, California, Michigan and 

New York where education job cuts are 

much worse. 

But as for those who survived this latest 

round of layoffs: “We have star teachers,” 

Gorman said. “We have to put faith 

in (them).” 

Expect little landscaping at schools 

Gorman said the budget crunch means 

that high grass might be the new norm. 

The system has decreased its maintenance 

budget – allowing for only 22 lawn cuts at 

schools per year instead of the typical 36. 

“We’re going to have to do less with less,” 

he said. “Lawns will be higher, classes bigger. 

We need more support and help. We 

need to be upfront about that. We’re getting 

dangerously close to jeopardizing your 

(tax) investment (with budget cuts).” 

With Mecklenburg County Sheriff 

Chipp Bailey, who lives in Matthews, in 

attendance Aug. 21, Gorman said some 

suggestions of letting inmates do maintenance 

at the schools was out of the question 

as “a lot of the people Chipp works 

with aren’t allowed (on campus).” Other 

suggestions of letting school volunteers 

cut the lawns is against the district’s insurance 

policy, he said. 

Other topics Gorman discussed: 

• Teacher evaluations: Gorman said 

there is only a 2 percent salary difference 

between teachers with the highest performing 

students and those with the lowest 

performing students. That’s something 

that concerns the superintendent when it 

comes to teacher salary incentives. Evaluating 

teacher performance could help. 

“We’re going to do (teacher evaluations) 

with our teachers, not to our teachers,” 

Gorman said. “We have to be very clear 

what an effective teacher is” and hire, 

reward and dismiss based on that, he said. 

• Expected increase in mobile classrooms: 

Gorman said 600 mobile classroom 

units are in use systemwide this year, 

down from when he came to CMS five 

years ago. But the superintendent doesn’t 

expect that number to decrease again. 

“We’re not going to be building schools for 

a while.” 

• Year-round schools: Gorman says 

year-round schools may be best for kids 

living below the poverty level and those 

who are behind. The district is considering 

the change. While kids with families who 

can afford to often have continued learning 

experiences over the summer break, 

some kids don’t get that opportunity and 

can regress over the break. 

• Want to help? Gorman said he needs 

parents to be engaged and involved with 

their kids while treating every kid as their 

own. 

“Yeah, we’d like money, but what we 

really need is boots on the ground,” Gorman 

said. To volunteer with CMS, visit 

www.cms.k12.nc.us and click “Volunteers 

and Partners.” q 

While North Carolina received 

$400 million in federal education funds 

Aug. 23, it could be months before the 

first dollars reach schools in Matthews 

or Mint Hill, officials say. 

According to terms of North Carolina’s 

application for the dollars, Charlotte-Mecklenburg 

Schools won’t even 

learn how much is allotted to them until 

an outline is prepared dictating how the 

district will meet more than 25 initiatives. 

“Prior to allotting any funding to 

(districts), North Carolina Department 

of Public Instruction will secure 

from each one a detailed scope of work 

that indicates specific implementation 

goals, objectives and measurable targets 

aligned with the state targets,” the 

application reads. 

Using those plans, which must 

include a timetable, the department will 

then determine how much funding the 

district gets as well as monitor progress. 

If the state determines a district has not 

met requirements, the district could 

lose its cash. 

The funding is part of $3.4 billion set 

aside for the second phase of the ‘Race 

to the Top’ competition, a program created 

by the U.S. Department of Education 

to reward states that are reforming 

their school systems. North Carolina 

was one of 10 applicants to win the 

second phase, which included Florida, 

Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, 

New York, Ohio, Rhode Island 

and the District of Columbia. Out of 

the 10, North Carolina ranked ninth, 

with scores just ahead of Ohio. In the 

first round, Tennessee and Delaware 

received awards. 

In the program, grant funding is 

awarded to each state. The dollars are 

then dolled out to individual school districts 

over a four-year period, with state 

officials given the ability to withhold or 

increase individual allotments based on 

annual performance. 

How to pay for new initiatives? 

In order to get the funding, CMS will 

have to show the state how they plan 

to meet certain goals. However in the 

application, no funding details are provided 

for these goals, except through 

use of the grant money schools will be 

receiving each year. Governor Bev Perdue 

said in a press release Aug. 24 the 

Community 

NC schools to get 

$400M from feds 

Hurdles ahead before CMS 

sees any cash 

by Brian Carlton 

brian@matthewsminthillweekly.com 

money would save teachers’ jobs. It’s 

unclear exactly how the money, which 

would be less than $10 million per year, 

could pay for both. 

In the application, more than 25 initiatives 

are cited by the governor. They 

include developing a statewide instructional 

improvement system to support 

curriculum-embedded assessments, an 

extension of the governor’s handheld 

diagnostic assessment plan and curriculum 

monitoring to guide both teacher 

planning sessions and decisions on student 

placement. Also the state promises 

each district will provide the technology 

infrastructure to support effective 

use of the monitoring system as well 

as provide the opportunity for teachers 

to earn incentives based on student 

performance. Schools will also have to 

fully implement the new teacher and 

principal evaluation standards, with one 

of the key components being how much 

student achievement has improved during 

the year. 

The application also calls for districts 

to place new teachers, fresh out of college, 

into low-performing schools and 

then create a three-year support program 

to help them succeed as well as 

become a part of the new K-12 Education 

‘Cloud’ technology program. The 

‘Cloud’ strategy calls for a full scale 

implementation of software platforms 

to support teaching in every school. 

A total cost for the initiatives was not 

outlined in the application. DPI officials 

say the information will be made clear 

to districts in the next few weeks, as 

they also hope to give an estimate as to 

how much each district should expect 

to get annually. 

“We just got the full dollar amount, 

so we can’t really talk about (district) 

distribution yet,” DPI spokesman Sarah 

Clarke said. 

Once districts get that estimated figure, 

they will then be required to put 

together an application of their own, 

listing how they plan to meet state 

guidelines and how long it will take to 

get there. 

“We’re still collecting information,” 

CMS spokeswoman Tahira Stalberte 

said. “Right now, we’re trying to learn 

what the requirements are.” 

A third chance? 

Next year, the federal Department of 

Education hopes to have a third phase 

of the program, and is requesting $1.35 

billion in the federal budget. The difference 

is that instead of states applying, 

the department plans to allow individual 

districts to request cash. q 


Community 

Matthews Alive! marks 18th year 

Festival proceeds benefit 

area nonprofits 

by Kara Lopp 


Work is in full swing for the 18th annual 

Matthews Alive! festival Sept. 3-6 which is 

expected to draw at least 150,000 people 

to Matthews. 

With the theme “Volunteer Matthews,” 

the focus goes to the hundreds of volunteers 

from area nonprofits who work game 

booths, pick up trash and more during the 

festival. In exchange for their work, the 

nonprofits earn proceeds from the festival. 

Since the festival’s inception, about 

$750,000 has been given to nonprofits, said 

Jim Sander, Matthews Alive! board chair. 

Festival organizers, who are volunteers 

themselves, hope to get the message out 

The festival weekend also marks the 

20th anniversary of the Matthews Kiwanis 

Club’s 5K Run and Family Fun Run. The 

fundraising event begins at 8 a.m. Monday, 

Sept. 6 during Matthews Alive at 

Stumptown Park, 120 S. Trade St. 

Proceeds from the event are used to 

purchase school supplies and clothes for 

area children. 5K pre-registration is $20 or 

$25 the day of the event. The Family Fun 

Run is $10. Free t-shirts will be given to the 

first 200 registered runners. 

To register or for more information, 

visit www.matthewskiwanis.com. 

this year that the festival is produced by 

volunteers to raise money for local nonprofits. 

About 30 nonprofits have committed 

to sending volunteers to work this year, 

Sander said. 

“We have found that even after 18 years 

people still say ‘Oh, I thought this was a 

town event.’ It is not a town event though 

it’s made hugely responsible by the town,” 

he said. “It’s all organized and executed by 

the Matthews Alive! board of directors. It’s 

all about the nonprofits. We worked real 

hard this year to impart the ownership of 

the festival on the nonprofits. At the end the 

day, we’re trying to raise money for them.” 

The family-friendly festival includes 

arts vendors, a local art show, food, music, 

rides, children’s games and more. A parade 

Sept. 4 is also part of the festivities. Nate 

Huggins, founder of Blessed Assurance 

Adult Day and Health Care Services, is 

this year’s parade marshal. 

New this year to this festival include participation 

from the North Carolina chapter 

of the USO, Sander said. The nonprofit 

will be selling military-related memorabilia 

to benefit its programs for troops stationed 

overseas. The American Red Cross will also 

host a blood drive for the first time at the 

festival, he said. The organization hopes 

to collect 45 pints of blood on Sunday, 

Sept. 5 from noon-4:30 p.m. 

The festival includes 167 arts vendors, 

an increase from the typical 155 vendors, 

and about 30 food vendors, Sander said. q 

Want to go? 

Matthews Alive! Runs Sept. 3 from 6:30- 

10:30 p.m., Sept. 4 from 9 a.m.-9 p.m., 

Sept. 5 from noon-9 p.m. and Sept. 6 from 

9 a.m.-5 p.m. in downtown Matthews. For 

more information and a complete schedule 

of events, visit www.matthewsalive.org. 

Matthews resident 

creates art for festival 

Each year the Matthews Alive! Board of 

Directors hosts a contest for area artists to 

develop a logo bringing the 

theme of the festival to life. 

This year’s honor goes to 

Nancy Carter, a Matthews 

resident of 13 years. Her 

logo will be featured on 

everything Matthews Alive! 

from posters and buttons to 

Nancy Carter 

shirts and advertisements. 

“Nancy’s artwork was 

chosen because it best represented 

what we are trying to celebrate this 

year – our volunteers – and their spirit of giving 

to our community,” said Jim Sander, Matthews 

Alive! board chair. 

A self-taught artist, Carter said the festival’s 

theme shows the heart of Matthews. 

“I wanted to show we are a community. The 

people represent who we are – people of all 

shapes, sizes and colors,” she said. “The heart 

in the center depicts who we are in Matthews. 

We are a town where volunteers help each 

other which is what we should all do always.” 

Like the 2009 Matthews Alive! festival (above), 

this year’s event will offer fun for residents of 

all ages. 

With both of her grandmothers being artists, 

Carter grew up surrounded by original 

artworks. Over the years she has developed 

a unique artistic style that leans towards realism, 

done with multiple layers and filled with 

detail. She paints the things she loves the 

most in her life: children, flowers, animals, her 

neighborhood, places she enjoys traveling to 

and unique “finds” in her everyday life. q 

MMHW file photo 

AN INVITATION TO FAMILIES 

OF WARTIME VETERANS & SURVIVING SPOUSES 

A Second Invitation! 

SATURDAY 

SEPTEMBER 18, 2010 

11:00 A.M. 

Wartime Veterans 

may qualify for up to 

$1,644 monthly 

and Surviving Spouses 

may receive up to 

$1,056. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRESENTED BY A PROFESSIONAL MEMBER OF THE 

©AAWV2010 

TO FAMILIES OF WARTIME 

VETERANS & SURVIVING SPOUSES 


WILLOW GROVE 

10043 IDLEWILD RD. 

MATTHEWS, NC 28105 

Back To 

School 

COUPON 

$5 OFF 

any purchase 

of $25 or more 

offer expires 9-4-10 

New & Gently Used Children’s Apparel 

Wide Variety of Children’s Accessories 

New 2 You 

Children’s Boutique 

4512 Potter Road 

Stallings 

704-821-1323 

CHRIST IN ACTION 

Theophostic Prayer Ministry 

16 Week Basic Training Course 

Intro/DVDs/Discussion Starts Sept. 24-25, 9am-5pm 

Continued on alternate Saturdays Starting Oct. 9, 9am-12pm 

Course location: Irene Cirillo, Ph.D., 

Heritage Int’l Ministry Conference Center 

375 Star Light Dr., Suite 548, Ft. Mill, SC 29715 

Phone: 518-386-0869 

Additional information & to register online: www.IreneCirillo.com 


Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly 

Calendar 

Of EVENTS 

8.28.10 

Saurday 

Luau fundraiser, 4:30 p.m. 

Local nonprofit Jesus Loves the Little Children will host its annual 

fundraising luau, with this year’s proceeds to benefit A 

Child’s Place. Dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. with a show featuring 

the Aloha Nui Loa Tahitian Troupe at 6:30 p.m. 

6621 Heath Glen Drive, Mint Hill 

For more information or to RSVP, call George and Helene at 704- 

573-7746. 

8.31 & 9.2.10 

Tuesday & Thursday 

Free Social Security seminar, 6:30 p.m. 

The American Prosperity Group in Matthews and The Society for 

Financial Awareness will present a free seminar, “Savvy Social 

Security Planning: What Baby Boomers Need to Know to Maximize 

Retirement Income.” Participants will learn the basics of 

Social Security and strategies for maximizing your benefits. 

Matthews Chamber of Commerce, 210 Matthews Station St., 

Matthews 

To register (required), call 704-708-5001 or e-mail 

mariaromeo@1APG.com. 

9.1.10 

Wednesday 

Get help with health care paperwork, 1-2 p.m. 

Presbyterian Hospital Matthews educator Amber Byrd will lead 

a free workshop entitled “Navigating Your Path Through the Paperwork 

of Health Care” at the Levine Senior Center. 

Learn how to read benefits documents, who to call with billing 

or insurance questions and more. Open to the public. 

1050 DeVore Lane, Matthews 

To register, call 704-384-2273. 

9.3-6.10 

Friday-Monday 

Matthews Alive! festival 

Join the more than 150,000 area residents expected at this 

year’s Matthews Alive! festival featuring arts and crafts, carnival 

rides, food, music and more. Volunteers from area nonprofits 

staff the festival and in return will receive proceeds from 

the event. 

Downtown Matthews 

9.4.10 

Saturday 

‘Poison Pens?’, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 

The Mint Hill Historical Society will present a free event during 

the weekly Mint Hill Farmers Market. During “Poison Pens,” 

participants can have a seat in the old schoolhouse and try writing 

with feather quills and the ink made from the berries of the 

poisonous pokeberry plant. 

7601 Matthews-Mint Hill Road, Mint Hill 

Community 

9.6.10 

Monday 

Matthews Auto & Motorcycle Classic, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 

The Matthews Chamber of Commerce will host its 20th annual 

Auto & Motorcycle Classic in downtown Matthews. Come check 

out classic rides or enter your own for judging. A portion of event 

proceeds will benefit the Matthews Police Explorers Post. 

210 Matthews Station St., Matthews 

Cost: Admission is free; enter your car before show day for $20; 

$25 day of show 

For more information or to register, visit www.matthews 

chamber.com. 

ONGOING 

Need a makeover? 

Matthews’ Nations Family Chiropractic is accepting registrations 

for its Maximized Living Fall Makeover event to be held 

Sept. 11 from 1-4 p.m.at Light Our Christ Church in Charlotte. 

Proceeds will benefit The Lift-Up Foundation, a nonprofit which 

helps area pediatric cancer patients. 

9212 Bryant Farms Road, Charlotte 

Cost: $25 

To register or for more information, call 704-844-6368. 

Hula for Health 

The Levine Senior Center will present Hula for Health classes 

Wednesdays from Sept. 1-Oct. 6 from 3-3:45 p.m. Learn to exercise 

the Hawaiian way focusing on flexibility, strengthening and 

endurance. Nonmembers welcome. 

1050 DeVore Lane, Matthews 

To register, call 704-846-4654. 

FAMILY 

MEDICAL 

Michelle Klawiter-Benton, MD 

Claudelina Castro, PA-C 

My Linh Waldrop, ANP 

Services we provide: 

Prevention, treatment & 

maintenance of chronic illnesses 

Urgent visits & Minor surgeries 

GYN care & Family Planning 

Complete Physicals 

Well-Child Checks & Immunizations 

School & Sports Physicals 

Same day appointments available 

Clinic open Monday-Saturday 

Walk-Ins Are Welcome 

- ALL Insurances Accepted - 

Self-Pay is Very Affordable 

Office Visits are only $60.00 

MC Family Medical 

704-921-1000 

8820 University East Drive, 

Suite A 

www.mcfamilymedical.com 

Protect your business. 

Protect your employees. 

Protect your loved ones. 

Call for a free quote 

and give yourself peace 

of mind with insurance 

you can trust. 

Brad Thomas 

Sales Representative 

 

brad.thomas@sentry.com 

Primary: 704-996-8484 

Fax: 704-814-6073 

 

Claims: 1-800-739-3344 



ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 

A guide to events, organizations and people in the community 

From fairies to nutcrackers, Matthews Ballet has it all 

by Erica Oglesby 

AandE@matthewsminthillweekly.com 

One minute you may be a fairy, the 

next you may be forced to jump over 

chomping alligators. It’s just another 

normal – yet imaginative – day at the 

Matthews Ballet. 

Known best for its Christmas performance 

of “The Nutcracker,” Matthews 

Ballet is in fact a year-round operation. 

Teaching children from toddlers 

to teens the art of ballet, the program 

emphasizes imagination at all ages and 

levels. 

Program director Amanda Sheppard 

opened the doors of Matthews Ballet 

in 1996. Teaching an average of 130- 

170 students a year, the students learn 

everything from beginning plies to complex 

classical ballet moves. 

“I love what I do,” Sheppard said. 

Taking up residency at the Matthews 

Community Center in 2002, the Matthews 

Ballet curriculum differs from 

other studios in the area. Using the 

Royal Academy of Dance syllabus, the 

school focuses on teaching classical ballet 

through smaller structured classes, 

with no more than 12 students per 

class. 

Originally from England, Sheppard 

moved to Charlotte in 1988 with a 

vision to bring a piece of her English 

childhood to the United States. 

Starting ballet at 2-years-old, Sheppard 

was attending a full-time professional 

ballet school by age 11. 

“They weren’t there for the money,” 

she said of her childhood instructors. 

“It was for the pure joy of teaching.” 

While living in England, Sheppard 

danced professionally for a short time, 

but was considered too tall and skinny 

by English standards to become a successful 

dancer, she said. 

At first, Sheppard said, she was doubtful 

about becoming a dance teacher. 

So when she moved to Charlotte her 

first job was as a nanny. It was in that 

year that she realized she did want to 

teach. She started that experience at the 

Charlotte School of Ballet. Never really 

wanting to open her own studio, Sheppard 

had a change of heart when she 

had her daughter, Cosette, now 16. 

(Left) Instructor Rebecca Hearn, 25, leads Heather Jerby, 8, Emma Rains, 9, Ellie Stevens, 8 and 

Isabella Mitchell, 8, during the ballet class at Matthews Ballet. (Right) Collen Cravens learns how 

to do a plié. 

Now with her focus on Matthews Ballet, 

Sheppard offers a variety of classes, 

including even jazz and hip hop dance. 

Sheppard particular loves watching 

the younger children begin to use their 

imagination through classes that challenge 

them to dance like fairies and 

rock imaginary animals to sleep. 

“My favorite are the little ones,” she 

said. 

With four teachers, Matthews Ballet 

offers classes all-day, five days a week. 

Instructor Rebecca Hearn, 25, began 

with the Matthews Ballet as an 11-yearold 

student. Ballet provided a place to 

be creative and get away from daily life, 

she said. “(Teaching) is truly a passion 

I enjoy, and hope to continue,” Hearn 

said, noting her favorite classes are the 

(see Ballet on page 25) 

Erica Oglesby/MMHW photos 

Presented by: 

OCTOBER 8 - 9, 14 - 16 

KNIGHT THEATER 

“Its delicious vampires and crazed 

gargoyles were more erotic than 

anything you’ll have trick or treating 

at your front door” - Anne Hicks 

Tickets: 704.372.1000 

ncdance.org 

LOVE TO 

HARMONIZE? 

Audition for our upcoming season including 

“Strauss & Strudel” this fall. 

Call 980-297-0391 to schedule an appointment. 

www.CharlotteChoraleInc.org 

content focused issues 

Look great this holiday season! 

CONTENT FOCUSED 

ISSUE: 

September 24 

Let this themed issue whip you into shape with the latest health news and exercise tips. 

For advertising information, call 

704-849-2261 

or e-mail adsales@carolinaweeklynewspapers.com. 

A performance worth sinking your teeth into. 


Photography by 

Jeff Cravotta 

Union County Mountain Island 


Monitor 


Arts & Entertainment 

Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly 

Arts Beat 

A snapshot of arts-related news items 

of people persecuted under Nazi rule. 

For more information or to buy tickets, 

visit www.matthewsplayhouse.com or 

call 704-846-8343. 

Discount tickets available 

for “Diary of Anne Frank” 

The Matthews Playhouse of the Performing 

Arts is offering discount tickets 

for its upcoming show “The Diary of 

Anne Frank.” 

Buy tickets before Sept. 15 for $10 

each, Artistic Director Robbie Jaeger 

said. After that date tickets are $15 for 

adults and $12 for students and seniors. 

The show runs Oct. 8-24. 

Directed by Kevin Campbell and featuring 

set design by Emmy award winner 

John R. Bayless, “The Diary of Anne 

Frank” features writings from the diary of 

Anne Frank, as well as survivor accounts 

to create a contemporary story of the lives 

Win a copy of “Tennessee” 

Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly is giving 

away a DVD copy of the 2009 release 

“Tennessee” staring Mariah Carey, 

Ethan Peck and Adam Rothenberg to its 

Facebook fans. 

To enter, post a message on our 

Facebook page. Not a fan? Search for 

Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly at www. 

facebook.com and “like” our page to be 

a part of the fun! 

One winner will be drawn at random 

Wednesday, Sept. 1 and announced on 

Facebook and in our Sept. 3-9 issue. 

Send your arts news items to 

artsbeat@matthewsminthillweekly.com 

Campers craft ‘pop’ art 

Photo courtesy of Mint Hill Arts 

Students from Mint Hill’s Sunny Days Summer Camp toured Mint Hill Arts recently and worked 

together on a collaborative mural. Students were each given a section of the mural and instructed 

to use light or dark colors and patterns to color in the appropriate areas. The pieces 

were then reassembled to reveal a surprise: a likeness of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. q 

Ballet 


4- to 6-year-olds. 

“Over the years, I have taught ages 

3-18,” she said. “I truly enjoy all ages, 

but (I) have a special place in my heart 

for (the) 4-to-6-year-olds.” 

With two recitals each year, the Matthews 

Ballet is best known for its holiday 

rendition of “The Nutcracker.” Entering 

into its 14th year of the production, 

Sheppard and her students joyfully look 

forward to the crowds that will fill the 

Community Center Theater as part of 

their holiday tradition. 

Catherine Cupec, 17, a senior at Providence 

High School, has been attending 

classes at Matthews Ballet since she 

was 3. Naming “The Nutcracker” performance 

as her favorite part to each 

year, Cupec – who is in her last year at 

Matthews Ballet – hopes to become a 

professional ballet dancer. 

Currently in the advanced dancing 

classes, Cupec – along with close 

friends Anna Underwood, 17, a senior 

at Monroe’s Central Academy of Technology 

and Arts, and Mackenzie Trapp, 

15, a junior at Marvin Ridge High 

School – have all grown up in ballet 

shoes together, and look to Sheppard as 

a mother figure. 

“She is like a second mom to us,” 

Cupec said. 

Watching all her dancer’s grow before 

her eyes, Sheppard said she loves watching 

the older ones mature and begin 

taking care of the little ones. 

“They just care for each other,” she 

said. q 

Want to learn ballet? 

Matthews Ballet is accepting registration 

for its fall classes. To sign-up, 

visit the Matthews Community Center, 

100 E. McDowell St., or sign-up online 

at http://mathewsfun.org. Matthews 

Beginning Sept. 8, Matthews Ballet will 

also host classes in Pineville at the Cultural 

and Civil Arts Center. For more 

information, or to register for the Pineville 

classes, call Amanda at 704-542- 

5777 or e-mail UKMIZ@aol.com. 

 

NOW ON 

STAGE! 

CAROLINAS’ PREMIERE! 

THRU SEPTEMBER 19 ONLY 

BELK THEATER 

Blumenthal Performing Arts Center 

ONLINE: BlumenthalCenter.org 

CALL: 704-372-1000 

GROUPS (20+): 704-379-1380 

 


 

 


of 

Ravens believe anything’s possible 

when they take the field Friday 

by C. Jemal Horton 

jemal@matthewsminthillweekly.com 

Khalil Rankin doesn’t have to dream anymore. 

The moment, at long last, is here. 

On Friday, Aug. 27, at 7 p.m., Rankin and his Rocky 

River High teammates will dash from the locker room 

and onto the school’s shiny, new football field. 

Everything at Rocky River is new – the building, the 

students, the hopes, the dreams. The only thing that 

seems timeless right now is the enthusiasm of teenaged 

boys preparing for their first big football game. 

And the Rocky River Ravens? Well, their excitement 

shines through each time they’re asked about taking the 

field for the first time in a regular-season game. 

“I’ve imagined it so many times,” Rankin, a junior 

safety, said as he gazed across the 4,000-seat stadium 

that pushes against I-485. 

“It’s going to be great running out here to play our 

first game. I think it’s going to be live, like a big party. 

Everybody’s just going to have fun, and we’re going to 

get a win.” 

Yes, even for a school that just this week opened its 

doors for the first time, there’s an honest-to-goodness 

chance to win the first game. The Ravens’ opening-night 

opponent, Cornelius’ Hough High, also is a new school. 

So both squads will be young, since neither has a senior 

on the roster, and nervousness could play a major role in 

the outcome of the game. 

But the players aren’t the only ones excited. For Rocky 

Rocky River High School football players Khalil Rankin (left) and Sidney Lawson believe the Ravens can win when they play host to 

Cornelius’ Hough High on Friday, Aug. 27. 

C. Jemal Horton/MMHW photo 

River coach Jason Fowler, this is the first time he’ll open 

the season as a permanent varsity head coach. Sure, he’s 

served stints as an interim head coach; he did it a few 

seasons ago when he was an assistant at East Mecklenburg 

High. But this is much different. 

“As a coach (on opening night), you’ve got your excitement, 

your nervousness,” Fowler admitted. “You want 

everything to go the way that you envisioned. Realistically, 

there are going to be some bumps in the road, 

some things you’re going to have to take care of. But 

it’s cool to be able to put your own stamp on a program. 

You’re not really following anybody else’s footsteps; 

it’s yours. Whether it’s good or bad, it’s all on you. I’m 

excited about that, and so are the kids. 

“There’s a buzz going around here. It’s a new situation 

with new kids playing another new school. Somebody’s 

going to get their first win, so everybody’s excited. 

We’ve been banging on each other for the last couple of 

weeks now, so everybody’s excited to be hitting somebody 

else.” 

But while the atmosphere should be electric, Fowler 

warns that no one should expect anything close to perfection 

from the Ravens. Although many of Rocky River’s 

players come from established, successful programs 

such as Butler and Independence – which combined to 

win eight of the last 10 Class 4AA state championships 

– most of the Ravens have never competed at the varsity 

level. 

“There’s still some things we’ve got to come together 

and mesh on,” Fowler said. “We’re just really inconsistent 

right now. We’re up and down. We’ll have a good 

day of practice, and then we’ll come out the next day and 

we’re not where we need to be.” 

But unlike the majority of the teams that played last 

week, the Ravens have had the backing of their student 

(see Dreams on page 28) 

sports shorts 

Butler’s Burton chooses to play at Wagner 

by C. Jemal Horton 

jemal@matthewsminthillweekly.com 

Butler High School boys basketball 

player Marcus Burton has committed 

to play at Wagner College in New York 

City, according to Bulldogs coach Kurt 

Wessler. 

At Wagner, Burton will play for head 

coach Dan Hurley, who is the younger 

brother of former Duke star Bobby Hurley. 

Bobby Hurley also is an assistant 

coach at Wagner. 

Burton, a 6-foot point guard, averaged 

14.7 points and 4.1 assists last 

season, his first at Butler. Before attending 

the Matthews 

school, 

he played at 

Hickory Grove 

Baptist Christian 

School. 

Burton made 

a smooth transition 

against the 

tougher competition 

in the 

Marcus Burton Southwestern 

4A conference; 

he was a second-team all-conference 

choice, a third-team all-district selection 

and was named the Southwestern 

4A conference tournament Most Valuable 

Player. 

Burton, a senior, also had scholarship 

offers from Elon, Winthrop, High Point, 

the College of Charleston, among others. 

Sullivan makes college choice 

On Aug. 20, Davidson Day boys basketball 

player Bernard Sullivan committed 

to play at Clemson University 

after also considering Maryland, Wake 

Forest, Purdue, Virginia, Virginia Tech, 

Penn State, Xavier and Marquette. 

Sullivan, a senior power forward, 

transferred to Davidson Day from North 

Mecklenburg High this summer. 

“I’m very excited to be spending my 

next four years at Clemson,” Sullivan 

said in a statement released by Davidson 

Day. “They have been recruiting me 

since the eighth grade, and it truly feels 

like home. Throughout the (recruiting) 

process, they have showed the most 

interest in me. They have a great coaching 

staff, strong academics and a solid 

basketball tradition.” 

Last season, the 6-foot-8 Sullivan 

averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds 

and was a second-team selection on 

Carolina Weekly Newspaper Group’s 

Boys Basketball Super Team. q 




Sports 

MECKLENBURG 

STATISTICAL LEADERS 

passing 

Player School Comp. Att. Yards Int. TDs 

Riley Ferguson Butler 13 24 294 1 1 

Marquise Williams Mallard Creek 16 24 205 0 2 

Michael Dorsaindil Lake Norman Charter 8 20 169 1 2 

Evan Guest Independence 18 36 157 1 0 

Michael Irvin North Mecklenburg 13 32 149 2 1 

Derrick Misenheimer West Mecklenburg 10 19 189 2 0 

Sam Remick SouthLake Christian 4 10 73 2 0 

Cole Blythe Hopewell 6 14 69 0 0 

rushing 

Player School Att. Yards TDs 

Marquise Williams Mallard Creek 11 141 2 

Scoot Simmons West Charlotte 14 113 3 

Jahwan Edwards Butler 13 96 0 

Dondre Lewis-Freeman Hopewell 17 90 0 

Deion Walker Butler 11 62 3 

Nyjee Fleming Independence 17 52 0 

Revonn Hassell SouthLake Christian 3 43 0 

Terrence Clyburn North Mecklenburg 2 40 0 

Sam Remick SouthLake Christian 10 34 0 

Garrison Dark North Mecklenburg 13 32 0 

Aaron McNeely Mallard Creek 6 32 0 

Denzel Heath Hopewell 4 24 2 

receiving 

Player School Rec. Yards TDs 

Zach Ferguson Butler 5 146 0 

Jakareen Smith West Mecklenburg 5 100 0 

Deion Walker Butler 2 96 0 

Nathan Windan Lake Norman Charter 1 74 1 

Jamel Harbison Mallard Creek 5 72 1 

Rashaan Brown North Mecklenburg 6 62 1 

Andrew Yost North Mecklenburg 3 57 0 

Alex Scearce Lake Norman Charter 4 40 1 

Aaron McNeely Mallard Creek 3 37 0 

Lee Bobo Lake Norman Charter 2 35 0 

Brandon Bennett Hopewell 2 33 0 

Kris Frost Butler 1 33 0 

tackles 

Player School No. 

Jonny Peace North Mecklenburg 15 

Stephen Amoah Butler 13 

Mark Bridges Butler 12 

Clinton Bobray Butler 10 

Jimmy Gipson Independence 10 

Latham York North Mecklenburg 10 

Donald Armond North Mecklenburg 9 

Dominique Brewer Butler 9 

Austin Capps SouthLake Christian 8 

John Harrison North Mecklenburg 8 

Denzel Heath Hopewell 8 

Taylor Jurney SouthLake Christian 8 

Gregory Mobley North Mecklenburg 8 

Colin Parsons Butler 8 

Spencer Cole SouthLake Christian 7.5 

Ozzie Sombo Butler 7 

Tevin Stevenson Hopewell 7 

Travis Hallman SouthLake Christian 6.5 

Demetri Allison SouthLake Christian 6 

Asante Harris Independence 6 

Mal Jenkins Butler 6 

Terrance Clyburn North Mecklenburg 5 

Andre Diouf SouthLake Christian 5 

Spencer Jones Hopewell 5 

Peter Kalambayi Butler 5 

Marcus Quales Butler 5 

Michael Russell Hopewell 5 

Austin Stewart Butler 5 

punting 

Player School No. Yards avg. 

Tommy Hibbard Butler 3 48.33 

Jason Connella Independence 3 39.0 

Tyjuan Hill Hopewell 3 38.0 

interceptions 


Brandon Sanbury West Charlotte 2 

Austin Stewart Butler 2 

Matthew Brown Mallard Creek 1 

Anthony Bynum Hopewell 1 

Ardy Holmes West Charlotte 1 

Michael Russell Hopewell 1 

Alex Scearce Lake Norman Charter 1 

sacks 


Ozzie Sombo Butler 3 

Latham York North Mecklenburg 2 

Evan Givonne Hopewell 1 

Alex Glover Mallard Creek 1 

Colin Parsons Butler 1 

Tevin Stevenson Hopewell 1 

Tahjai Watt North Mecklenburg 1 

GET US YOUR STATS 

Next week, we will again publish weekly statistical 

leaders. Coaches or official team statisticians 

should e-mail their year-to-date individual 

statistical leaders to sports@carolinaweekly 

newspapers.com each Tuesday by noon. 

Please include the following categories: 

passing (completions, attempts, yards, interceptions 

and touchdowns); rushing (attempts, 

yards and touchdowns); receiving (receptions, 

yards and touchdowns); tackles, interceptions, 

sacks; and punting (attempts and average 

yards per attempt). 

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Homer’s Family Four Pack 

Carolina Weekly Newspaper Group has teamed 

with the charlotte knights to offer Family Four Packs 

to deserving fans for each sunday home game. 

congratulations to knights fans Tricia Meier and Marial 

Klauer, winners for the sunday, august 29 game @ 2:15 

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body leading up to the game since the 

first week of school coincided with the 

season-opening game. So the players’ 

classmates will get to see them strut the 

hallways on game day in their jerseys – 

maybe. 

“It depends on how they practice,” 

Fowler said. “If they had a good week of 

practice, they can wear their jerseys. If 

they don’t (practice well), it’s shirts and 

ties. 

STANDINGS 

SOUTHweSTeRN 4A 

Conference W-L Overall W-L 

Butler 0-0 1-0 

Myers Park 0-0 1-0 

Ardrey Kell 0-0 0-0 

Rocky River 0-0 0-0 

East Mecklenburg 0-0 0-1 

Independence 0-0 0-1 

Providence 0-0 0-1 

South Mecklenburg 0-0 0-1 

Last week’s results 

Butler 27, Winston-Salem Mount Tabor 14 

Myers Park 10, Garinger 8 

Richmond Senior 31, Providence 21 

West Charlotte 43, East Mecklenburg 7 

Charlotte Catholic 40, South Mecklenburg 25 

Mallard Creek 26, Independence 6 

“But I think it does help having the 

students here this week. As for the excitement 

level and for the kids to have the 

support to come out here, I think it’s 

going to be a lot better. Most of the kids 

we have here have never played a game 

on Friday night. It’s going to be special.” 

The evening should be festive. The 

players said they’ve received plenty of 

words of encouragement from area fans 

who’ve learned they’re on the football 

team. CMS athletics director Vicki Hamilton 

is expected to be on hand to conduct 

the pre-game coin toss. 

And there’s an added bonus to the 

Ravens’ football debut: They’ll be the only 

show in town Friday. 

Last week was the official opening 

night for Charlotte-Mecklenburg high 

school football teams. The area’s other 

two squads – Butler and Independence 

– both played games that night and have 

this week off. That means football fans 

in the area don’t have to make a choice 

about which team to go see. 

It’s all about the Ravens this Friday 

night. 

“I’ve been thinking about it the whole 

week,” Rocky River sophomore running 

back Sidney Lawson said with a broad 

grin. “It’s motivated me to just come out 

hard. Friday’s the big day everybody’s 

been waiting for. 

“I went to the Independence-Mallard 

Creek game last week, and the whole 

time I was thinking, ‘Friday will be my 

day.’ But I don’t have to think about it 

anymore; it’s game time. Get your mind 

off everything else, get on the field and 

just be ready to play. 

“Inside, you’re just proud that you’re a 

Rocky River Raven.” q 

The Weekly Football Super 10 week 2 

Rank Team Record Last week This week 

1. BuTler 1-0 W, Mt. Tabor, 27-14 Idle 

2. Mallard Creek 1-0 W, Independence, 26-6 vs. Harding 

3. CHarloTTe laTIn 0-0 Idle vs. Mt. Zion 

4. olyMpIC 1-0 W, north Meck, 28-14 at Myers park 

5. IndependenCe 0-1 l, Mallard Creek, 26-6 Idle 

6. CHarloTTe CaTHolIC 1-0 W, South Meck, 40-25 at no. 8 providence 

7. Berry 0-0 Idle at Garinger 

8. provIdenCe 0-1 l, richmond Senior, 31-21 vs. no. 6 Charlotte Catholic 

9. CHarloTTe CounTry day 0-0 Idle at High point andrews 

10. HopeWell 1-0 W, West Meck, 23-9 Idle 

Also receiving votes: Vance (2), West Charlotte (2), Ardrey Kell (1) 

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‘Piranha 3D’ 

A little fishy, but not all flop 

opening 

this week 

“GeT low” (pG-13) 

“The lasT exoRcism” 

(pG-13) 

“TakeRs” (pG-13) 

by Tim Ross 

movies@matthewsminthillweekly.com 

Ah, summer. Grilling, swimming, sunbathing, 

fishing and more swimming. 

These activities are synonymous with 

this time of year, but it’s a good thing 

that summer is almost over; like all of 

us who thought twice about swimming 

during the summer of “Jaws,” Lake Norman 

might get a bit less traffic now that 

“Piranha 3D” is in theaters. 

This time, the man-eaters are in fresh 

water, there are thousands of them and 

they are hungry. If you’re not a moviephile, 

then you might not know there 

was an original “Piranha” movie – much 

less a sequel – but you likely would recognize 

the deep Hollywood roots of the 

folks behind those early B movie versions. 

The original “Piranha” was spawned 

by Hollywood legend Roger Corman and 

penned by John Sayles who went on to 

write the films “Eight Men Out” and 

“City of Hope.” The sequel, “Piranha 

II: The Spawning,” had a young director 

named James Cameron at the helm. Yes, 

Grade: HH out of 4 

MPAA Rating: R for for strong horror violence 

and gore, graphic nudity, sexual content, 

language and some drug use 

Cast: Richard dreyfuss, Ving Rhames, 

elisabeth shue 

Genre: horror/thriller 

Studio: dimension films 

that James Cameron. 

So, almost 20 years later, the deadly 

little fish rise again, but this time they 

come snapping right out of the screen 

in 3-D. “Piranha 3D” succeeds in several 

ways, especially if you like summer 

popcorn moves, but I’d stop well short of 

putting it on a must-see list. 

While the movie pays homage to the 

greatest monster fish flick of all time, 

“Jaws” it ain’t. Yes, there’s a small resort 

town under siege. Yes, there’s a summer 

festival bringing to town thousands of 

beautiful, fleshy pieces of bait – err – 

young folks ready to party and swim. Yes, 

there’s a tough, determined sheriff ready 

to do battle with the fishy invaders, and 

yes, there’s lots and lots of blood. 

However, where “Jaws” featured stars 

in their prime or on the way up, “Piranha 

3D” presents talented actors on the 

way down. Elisabeth Shue, brilliant in 

“Leaving Las Vegas,” is just OK as the 

town sheriff. Ving Rhames is her sacrificial 

deputy and Jerry O’Connell has 

sunk to new depths, pun intended, as 

a sleazy porn filmmaker. There is one 

luminary in this cast but you’ll have to 

see the movie to find out who it is; that’s 

at least one surprise you should enjoy 

for yourself. 

Where the film falls particularly short 

is in sustaining the particular brand of 

tension Steven Spielberg mastered in 

“Jaws.” “Piranha 3D” delights, instead, 

on carnage, a massive body count and 

more graphic ways to die than I have 

seen since “Ninja Assassin.” 

(Left, top) Ving Rhames and (below) Elisabeth Shue 

The angry little piranhas eat victim 

after victim in an increasingly gory 

and bloody fashion. One expects there 

to be plenty of flesh, most of it barely 

concealed, in a movie like this, but it’s 

hard to believe how many ways that 

flesh can be massacred, gnawed, ground 

up, slashed, gnashed and consumed. If 

director Alexandre Aja spent more time 

developing the characters and conflict 

and less time conceiving of new ways 

to show bloody stumps, “Piranha 3D” 

could rise up to the level of some of the 

better monster movies in the genre. 

Yet, even with its flaws, the film 

looks good, the editing is tight, I did 

jump a time or two in my seat and the 

3-D effect is used to its fullest. Fish, 

anchors, bullets, blood and even vomit 

are sent soaring out of the screen and 

into your lap. It’s a sensory overload that 

borders on, and often wades into, gra- 

box office 

weekend 

total 

1. “The expendables” (R) 

$17M $65.4M 

2. “VampiRes suck” (pG-13) 

$12.2M $18.6M 

3. “eaT pRay loVe” (pG-13) 

$12.1M 

$47.2M 

4. “loTTeRy TickeT” (pG-13) 

$10.7M $10.7M 

5. “The oTheR Guys” (pG-13) 

$10.2M $88.3M 

6. “piRanha 3d” 

$10.1M 

7. “The swiTch” (pG-13) 

$8.4M 

$10.1M 

$8.4M 

8. “nanny mcphee ReTuRns” (pG) 

$8.4M $8.4M 

9. “incepTion” (pG-13) 

$7.8M $262M 

10. “scoTT pilGRim Vs. The woRld” (pG-13) 

$5.2M 

$20.9M 

tuitous extremes, but that is what lures 

many young people into movie theaters 

these days. 

Luring you in is exactly what the hungry 

little fish in “Piranha 3D” are trying 

to do, but I’d hold off on the summer ritual 

of grilling hamburgers if you decide 

to go. There is plenty of ground meat 

packed into the hour and thirty minute 

run time. q 



Movies 

Not too much to be high on with ‘Get Low’ 

with, as the townsfolk find out for themselves 

soon enough. 

The odd thing about “Get Low” is that 

while the plot revolves around Felix and 

the mystery that led him to exile himself 

for 40 years, all of the supporting characters 

are a mystery, with no real arc or 

background to speak of, making them 

what Felix should have been in the movie. 

Instead, we’re treated to a lackluster plot 

that includes Felix trying to reconnect 

with an old flame (Sissy Spacek) and 

forming a sort of father-figure bond with 

Buddy, who lost his parents when he was 

a child. 

Some have said that Duvall plays the 

“role of a lifetime” here, but I don’t see 

it. He plays a variation of the same oldfashioned, 

Southern man he’s done several 

times before, from “Days of Thunder” 

to “Gods and Generals” and most 

recently “The Road.” Not to mention, 

how can someone who was in “To Kill a 

Mockingbird,” “The Godfather,” “Apocalypse 

Now” and won an Academy Award 

for “Tender Mercies” just now be playing 

the role of a lifetime? It’s a strong performance, 

but not one likely to win Duvall 

another Oscar. 

The one with the Oscar chances is 

Murray. He imbues Frank with the underby 

Ryan Hill 

movies@matthewsminthillweekly.com 

Most people who are larger than life 

get built up so much in one’s mind that 

when you’re actually face to face with 

that person, you’re disappointed to find 

that they’re shorter than you. Or that they 

have a nervous tick. Or that they really 

aren’t any fun to be around. Or that they 

smell. “Get Low” is about such a person. 

Robert Duvall plays Felix Bush, a man 

who, for reasons only known to himself, 

has lived as a hermit for 40 years, which 

has made him a local legend among the 

townsfolk. After visiting the grave of a 

recently deceased man he knew, Felix 

decides it’s time he got his affairs in order 

and decides to throw a living funeral party, 

where everyone who has a story about him 

is invited. Felix, however, is the one with 

the story to tell. 

Felix enlists the help of a funeral home, 

run by Frank Quinn (Bill Murray) and his 

associate Buddy, played by Lucas Black, 

Grade: HH out of 4 

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some thematic 

material and brief violent content 

Cast: Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, 

Bill Murray 

Genre: Drama 

Studio: Sony Pictures Classics 

who looks positively giddy at having the 

opportunity to act alongside both Duvall 

and Murray. 

The film gets its premise from the true 

story of Felix Breazeale, who threw a living 

funeral party in Roane County, Tennessee, 

in 1938. The funeral attracted 

somewhere between 8,000 and 12,000 

people. The similarities between the true 

story and the film, however, end there. 

“Get Low” fails to make Duvall’s Felix 

larger than life before we get to know 

him, instead introducing him as an ornery 

old man whose only companion is his 

mule, taking away from the impact his 

first appearance in civilization in 40 years 

could have had. Instead of marveling at 

this legendary figure coming out of hiding, 

all we see is a man not to be trifled 

TAKE THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME 

“‘EAT PRAY LOVE’ 

PROVIDES 

A GORGEOUS ESCAPE… 

JULIA ROBERTS 

IS RADIANT…” 

Christy Lemire, ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Sissy Spacek and Robert Duvall 

On video Aug. 31 

“9th Company” (R) 

“Marmaduke” (PG) 

“Harry Brown” (R) 

“Tyler Perry’s Why Did 

I Get Married Too?” (pg-13) 

TV on DVD 

“Brothers & Sisters: 

The Complete Fourth Season” 

“FlashForward: The Complete Series” 

“House: Season Six” 

“The Judy Garland Show: Volume 5” 

“Lonesome Dove, The Series: 

Complete Season One” 

“NCIS: Los Angeles - The First Season” 

“Parenthood: The Complete First Season” 

“Sons of Anarchy: Season Two” 

“The Vampire Diaries: 

The Complete First Season” 

stated cool that has been present in his 

recent films like “Rushmore” and “Lost 

in Translation,” but with the maturity 

of a man who has seen it all and lived it 

all. He even out-performs Duvall in one 

showdown. Murray, for all his quirks and 

silliness, can play it straight better than 

anyone, and hopefully this time it will 

earn him some award consideration. 

“Get Low” really could have benefited 

from more conflict throughout the story, 

but that’s not what this film is about. 

First-time director Aaron Schneider goes 

out of his way to give Duvall and Murray a 

stage to flex their acting chops, and in that 

regard the film is a rousing success. Sadly, 

without a better plot or more fleshed-out 

supporting characters, the film serves as 

a highlight reel for its two leads and little 

else. q 

“‘THE LAST EXORCISM’ 

gives you good reason to 

be VERY afraid of the dark!” 

Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE 

“...FULL OF DELICIOUS 

SURPRISES...” 

Jeanne Wolf, PARADE 

COLUMBIA PICTURES PRESENTS A PLAN B ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION “EAT PRAY LOVE” JAMES FRANCO RICHARD JENKINS VIOLA DAVIS BILLY CRUDUP AND JAVIER BARDEM 

MUSIC 

MUSIC 

EXECUTIVE 

BASED ON 

SCREENPLAY 

SUPERVISION BY PJ BLOOM BY DARIO MARIANELLI PRODUCERS BRAD PITT STAN WLODKOWSKI JEREMY KLEINER THE BOOK BY ELIZABETH GILBERT 

BY RYAN MURPHY & JENNIFER SALT 

PRODUCED BY DEDE GARDNER 

DIRECTED BY RYAN MURPHY 

SOUNDTRACK INCLUDES “BETTER DAYS” PERFORMED BY EDDIE VEDDER 

CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES 

STARTS FRIDAY, AUGUST 27! 

FOR THEATRES AND SHOWTIMES CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS 


5 Penn Plaza • 21st Fl • New York, NY • 10001 

212.819.8120 


CHARLOTTE WEEKLY 

THURS. 8.26 

4.854X4.125

ARBORETUM 12 

8008 Providence Rd. 

704-643-3456 

The Last Exorcism (PG-13) 

Fri. - Sat. (100)310 525 740 1010; Sun. (100)310 525 740 

Takers (PG-13) 

Fri. - Sat. (1200 225)455 720 950; Sun. (1200 225)455 720 

The Switch (PG-13) 

Fri. - Sat. (1205 235)450 710 945l Sun. (1205 235)450 710 

Nanny McPhee Returns (PG) 

Fri. - Sat. (1200 230)500 730 1000; Sun. (1200 230)500 730 

Lottery Ticket (PG-13) 

Fri. - Sat. (1215 235)455 715 935; Sun. (1215 235)455 715 

Piranha (R) 

Fri. - Sat. (1250)300 520 750 1025; Sun. (1250)300 520 750 

Vampires Suck (PG-13) 

Fri. - Sat. (1255)305 510 735 940; Sun. (1255)305 510 735 

Eat, Pray, Love (PG-13) 

Fri. - Sat. (1240)345 700 1005; Sun. (1240)345 700 

The Expendables (R) 

Fri. - Sat. (1220 240)505 725 955; Sun. (1220 240)505 725 

The Other Guys (PG-13) 

Fri. - Sat. (1210 245)515 745 1020; Sun. (1210 245)515 745 

Ramona And Beezus (G) 

Fri. - Sat. (1155 220)445 715 940; Sun. (1155 220)445 715 

Inception (PG-13) 

Fri. - Sat. (1225)340 705 1015; Sun. (1225)340 705 

CAROLINA PAVILION 22 

South Blvd. (Off I-485 exit 65A) 

888-262-4386 


Fri - Sun: 10:30 AM, 11:40 AM, 12:40, 2:05, 3:10, 4:25, 5:30, 7:00, 

7:55, 9:30, 10:25; Mon & Tue: 12:00, 1:10, 2:05, 3:20, 4:25, 5:30, 7:00, 

7:55, 9:30, 10:25 


Fri - Sun: 10:15 AM, 11:25 AM, 1:00, 2:00, 3:40, 4:45, 6:40, 7:30, 

9:20, 10:15; Mon & Tue: 12:05, 1:00, 2:35, 3:40, 5:05, 6:40, 7:35, 

9:20, 10:15 


Fri - Sun: 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:20, 1:20, 2:45, 3:45, 5:15, 6:40, 

7:45, 9:15, 10:35; Mon & Tue: 12:20, 1:20, 2:45, 3:45, 5:15, 6:40, 7:45, 

9:15, 10:35 

Nanny McPhee Returns (PG) 

Fri - Sun: 10:00 AM, 12:35, 3:05, 5:40, 8:10, 10:40; Mon & Tue: 12:10, 

2:50, 5:20, 7:55, 10:25 

Piranha 3D (R) RealD 3D; 


2:40, 5:00, 7:25, 10:05 


Fri - Sun: 11:10 AM, 1:40, 4:05, 6:50, 9:35; Mon & Tue: 1:40, 4:05, 

6:50, 9:35 



2:20, 4:40, 7:10, 9:30 

Eat Pray Love (PG-13) 


6:40, 9:50 


Fri - Sun: 11:15 AM, 12:45, 1:45, 3:15, 4:15, 5:45, 7:05, 8:15, 9:45, 

10:45; Mon & Tue: 12:45, 1:45, 3:15, 4:15, 5:45, 7:05, 8:15, 9:45, 

10:45 

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (PG-13) 


3:20, 7:00, 9:40 



5:30, 8:00, 10:30 

Step Up 3 (PG-13) 

Fri - Tue: 7:50, 10:20 

Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (PG) 

Fri - Sun: 11:05 AM, 1:15, 3:25, 5:35; Mon & Tue: 1:15, 3:25, 5:35 

Salt (PG-13) CC/DVS-Closed Captions & Descriptive Video 


6:55, 9:25 


Fri - Sun: 11:30 AM, 3:00, 6:45, 9:55; Mon & Tue: 12:45, 4:00, 7:10, 

10:15 

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (PG) 


6:50, 9:50 

Despicable Me (PG) 


6:30, 9:10 

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (PG-13) 


7:20, 10:10 

Toy Story 3 (G) 


6:35, 9:00 

CINEMARK 10 

9508 Northeast Court 

704-847-5245 

The Last Airbender 3D PG 

Fri-Weds 4:00 6:40 9:15 

The Last Airbender PG 

Fri-Weds 3:00 5:25 7:50 10:15 

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse PG-13 

Fri-Weds 4:20 7:05 9:55 

Knight and Day PG-13 

Fri-Weds 4:15 7:15 9:45 

The A-Team PG-13 

Fri-Weds 4:10 7:00 9:40 

The Karate Kid (2010) PG 

Fri-Weds 3:55 6:55 10:00 

Killers PG-13 

Fri-Weds 4:05 9:35 

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time PG-13 

Fri-Weds 3:40 7:10 7:20 9:50 

Shrek Forever After PG 

Fri-Weds 3:20 5:30 7:45 10:05 

Iron Man 2 PG-13 

Fri-Weds 6:50pm 

Please Give R 

Fri-Weds 4:35 10:10 

CROWNPOINT 12 

9630 Monroe Road 

704-847-2024 

Lottery Ticket PG-13 

Thurs 11:50am 2:15 4:40 7:05 9:45 

Nanny McPhee Returns PG 

Thurs 11:55am 2:20 4:55 7:25 10:05 

Piranha 3D R 

Thurs 12:40 2:55 5:15 7:30 10:00 

The Switch PG-13 

Thurs 12:00 2:25 4:50 7:20 9:50 

Vampires Suck PG-13 

Thurs 12:45 2:55 5:05 7:15 9:25 11:45 

Eat Pray Love PG-13 

Thurs 1:00 4:05 7:10 10:15 

The Expendables R 

SCREEN GEMS PRESENTS A RAINFOREST FILMS PRODUCTION IN ASSOCIATION WITH GRAND HUSTLE FILMS “TAKERS” MATT DILLON PAUL WALKER 

MUSIC 

IDRIS ELBA JAY HERNANDEZ MICHAEL EALY TIP “T.I.” HARRIS WITH CHRIS BROWN AND HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN BY PAUL HASLINGER 

EXECUTIVE 

PRODUCERS GLENN S. GAINOR GABRIEL CASSEUS CHRIS BROWN MORRIS CHESTNUT 

PRODUCED 

BY WILL PACKER TIP “T.I.” HARRIS AND JASON GETER 

WRITTEN 

DIRECTED 

BY PETER ALLEN & GABRIEL CASSEUS AND JOHN LUESSENHOP & AVERY DUFF BY JOHN LUESSENHOP 

CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES 

Thurs 12:15 2:45 5:15 7:35 10:00 

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World PG-13 

Thurs 12:05 2:35 5:10 7:40 10:10 

The Other Guys PG-13 

Thurs 12:20 2:50 5:20 7:50 10:20 

Step Up 3D PG-13 

Thurs 11:55am 2:20 4:45 7:20 9:55 

Dinner for Schmucks PG-13 

Thurs 12:00 2:30 5:05 7:40 10:15 

Salt PG-13 

Thurs 7:25 9:45 

Inception PG-13 

Thurs 12:35 3:50 7:00 10:10 

Despicable Me PG 

Thurs 11:50am 2:10 4:35 

STONECREST 22 

7824 Rea Rd. 

704-540-7575 


Fri. - Sat. (1200 1230 210 240)420 450 710 740 920 950 1130 

1200; Sun. (1200 1230 210 240)420 450 710 740 920 950 

UFC 118: Edgar Vs Penn 2 (NR) 

Sat. 1000 

IMAX: Avatar 3D (PG-13) 

Fri. - Sat. 1240 415 750 1125; Sun. 1240 415 750 


Fri. - Sun. (1150 230)500 730 1000 


Fri. - Sat. (1140 205)430 700 930 1155; Sun. (1140 205)430 700 

930 

IMAX: Hubble 3D (G) No Passes 

Fri. - Sun. 1000 1120 


Fri. - Sat. (1205 225)410 455 720 900 940 1205; Sun. (1205 

225)410 455 720 900 940 

Nanny Mcphee Returns (PG) 

Fri. - Sun. (1130 155)425 655 925 

Piranha In RealD 3D - EVENT PRICING (R) No Passes 

Fri. - Sat. (1235 250)530 800 1010 1220; Sun. (1235 250)530 800 

1010 


Fri. - Sat. (1250 120)300 330 505 535 715 755 915 1005 1120 

1210; Sun. (1250 120)300 330 505 535 715 755 915 1005 

OC & DA: Eat, Pray, Love (PG-13) 

Fri. (1255)705; Sat. 405 1005; Sun. (1255)1005 


Fri. (125)405 435 735 1005 1035; Sat. (1255 125)435 705; Sun. 

(125)405 435 705 735 1035 

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (PG-13) 

Fri. - Sun. (1145 215)445 730 1020 


Fri. - Sun. (1220 245)510 745 1015 


Fri. - Sat. (1135 200)440 720 945 1215; Sun. (1135 200)440 720 

945 

Step Up In RealD 3D - EVENT PRICING (PG-13) No Passes 

Fri. - Sun. 725 955 

Cats And Dogs: Revenge In RealD 3D - EVENT 

PRICING (PG) No Passes 

Fri. - Sun. (100)305 520 

Dinner For Schmucks (PG-13) 

Fri. - Sun. (1155 220)515 745 1030 

Ramona And Beezus (G) 

Fri. - Sun. (140)635 

Salt (PG-13) 

Fri. - Sat. (115)350 645 935 1150; Sun. (115)350 645 935 


Fri. - Sun. (1225)345 700 1025 

Despicable Me (PG) 

Fri. - Sun. (1125 135)400 650 905 

Toy Story 3 (G) 

Fri. - Sun. (105)355 640 910 

UNION SQUARE 8 

1911 Dickerson Blvd., Monroe 

704-643-3456 


Fri. - Sun. (250)500 715 930 


Fri. - Sun. (215)450 740 1005 

Nanny McpPhee Returns (PG) 

Fri. - Sun. (210)445 720 945 


Fri. - Sun. (240)505 730 950 


Fri. - Sun. (230)430 705 920 


Fri. - Sun. (300)700 1000 

The Expendables (R) - ID REQ’D 

Fri. - Sun. (200)440 710 940 


Fri. - Sun. (220)510 745 1010 




Service Directory 

IN THE MATTHEWS-MINT HILL AREA. 

To advertise, email servicedirectory@carolinaweeklynewspapers.com 

or call 704-849-2261. 

HAPPY HOMES 

PAINTING, INC. 

Customized Professional Quality 

• Free Estimates 

• Color Consulting 

• Faux Finishes 

• Wallpaper Removal 

• Licensed and Insured 

704-804-4513 

www.happyhomespainting.net 

charlotte weekly 

Options for every Budget 

Cabinet Refacing 

Custom Kitchen Remodeling 

Countertops & Backsplashes 

Full Project Coordination 

Complimentary In-home Consultations 

Call 704-545-6676 Today! 

Locally Owned & 

Operated! 

Designer Kitchens 

& Baths 

NKBA Certified 

Kitchen & 

Bath Designer 

Kelly’s Painting 

We’ve Got the 

Professional Interior Painting 

and Ad Publication Handyman Service Date: 03.20.09 

Phone: 704-766-2100 Fax: 704-992-0801 Email: ads@huntersvilleherald.com 

Affordable Prices • Outstanding Customer Service ...What Have You Got to 

Please check this ad for grammar and accuracy and respond to us 

as Attention soon as possible to Detail with • any Quality corrections Workmanship 

approval. 

CHARLOTTE Ken Kelly WEEKLY 

(704) 619-0253 

Licensed & Insured 

Call today for a 

Free Estimate 

Custom Moldings 

Picture Hanging 

Drywall Repairs 

Light Electric & 

Plumbing 

Ceramic Tile & 

Carpet Repairs 

Storage Solutions 

CONCRETE WORK 

Stamped Concrete • Decorative Concrete 

Driveways • Basements • Carports 

Patios • Sidewalks • Concrete Repair 

Slabs • Block and Brick Work 

38 Years of Experience Call Anytime! 

Jerry Dunlap (Dunlap Brothers) 

www.dunlapconcrete.com 

980-622-7833 

TRUCK 

HAUL? 

-We Make Things Disappear- 

Demolition, Hauling, 

Junk Removal, 

Garage/Yard Clean Ups 

of All Types & 

Other Misc. Services 

Residential, Commercial, 

Free Estimates 

No Job Too Big or Small 

Licensed and Insured 

DHS SERVICES 

704-787-2830 

Got Foggy Windows??? 

www.TheFogPro.com 

Your Inexpensive Solution for Repairing Foggy, 

Hazy and Condensation Filled Insulated Glass Windows 

To Schedule a Free Estimate Call: 

980-230-9686 

Also Ask Us About Our Insulated Glass Replacement Services!! 


Technology Mechanical 

Systems & Service Inc. 

SERVICE DIRECTORY 

Licensed 

Ad Publication 

NC General 

Date: 

Contractor 

04.10.09 

Phone: 704-849-2261 Fax: 704-849-2504 Email: art@carolinaweeklynewspapers.com 

Specializing in Room Additions, Decks, 

Please check this ad for grammar and accuracy and respond to us 

as soon Renavations, as possible with Detacted any corrections Garages, or an approval. 

CAROLINA Metalroofing, WEEKLY Siding, Foundation, NEWSPAPER Moisture GROUP 

Flooring Repairs and All Types 

Of New Construction. 

M - 7046228983 / P - 7043859155 

• Same Day Service & Repairs 

• Open Saturday and Sunday 

• Service Contract Available 

• We Service All Make and 

Models 

• Free Second Opinion on 

Most Major Repairs & 

Changes Outs 

• Free Service Calls With 

Repairs 

We are here to make sure your 

family is comfortable in any 

weather condition any time of 

day at no additional charge. 

Open 24/7 


Over 18 years of Exp 

980-722-9210 

Technology Mechanical 

Systems & Service Inc. 

$49 Tune Up 

$49 Service Call 

Advertise 

Your Business Here 

For Service Directory advertising information 

e-mail servicedirectory@carolinaweeklynewspapers.com 

or call 704-849-2261 

Advertise Your Business Here 

For Service Directory advertising information e-mail 

servicedirectory@carolinaweeklynewspapers.com or call 704-849-2261 



Classified Marketplace 

CIRCULATION 

OF 106,000 WEEKLY IN THE SOUTH 

CHARLOTTE, HUNTERSVILLE, CORNELIUS, DAVIDSON, 

UNION COUNTY, MATTHEWS-MINT HILL, MOUNTAIN 

ISLAND AND MOORESVILLE AREAS. 

To advertise, email victoria@carolinaweekly 

newspapers.com or call 704-849-2261. 

VEHICLES FOR SALE 

CHEVROLET 4 DOOR EXT SIL- 

VERADO, Dark Blue Metallic, 

Pickup Truck, 2008, $19988, 26748 

miles, Stock # 12345Z, Randy Marion 

1-877-370-7788. 

CHEVROLET COBALT, Silver, 4 

DOOR SEDAN, 2009, $10488, 33129 

miles, Stock# 12283Z, Randy Marion 

1-877-370-7788. 

CHEVROLET COLORADO 2WD 

EXT CAB, SILVER BIRCH METAL- 

LIC, Pickup Truck, 2005, $12488, 

50585 miles, Stock # GM2907A, 

Randy Marion 1-877-370-7788. 

CHEVROLET EQUINOX AWD LT, 

SANDSTONE METALLIC, 4 Door 

SUV, 2005, $11988, 59077 miles, 

Stock # GM2896A, Randy Marion 

1-877-370-7788. 

CHEVROLET EXPRESS 2500, 

White, CARGO VAN, 2009, $16988, 

47752 miles, Stock # 12316Z, Randy 

Marion 1-877-370-7788. 

CHEVROLET HHR LS, White, 4 

DOOR WAGON, 2009, $11888, 

34040 miles, Stock# 12257Z, Randy 

Marion 1-877-370-7788. 

CHEVROLET IMPALA LT, IMPE- 

RIAL BLUE METALLIC, 4 Door 

Sedan, 2010, $16988, 30196 miles, 

Stock # 12350Z, Randy Marion 1-877- 

370-7788. 

CHEVROLET MALIBU, SILVER 

ICE METALLIC, 4 Door Sedan, 2010, 

$15488, 29061 miles, Stock # 12364Z, 

Randy Marion 1-877-370-7788. 

CHEVROLET SILVERADO EXT 

CAB TRUCK, WHITE, Pickup 

Truck, 2007, $15988, 45740 miles, 

Stock# 12341Z, Randy Marion 1-877- 

370-7788. 

CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Black, 

4 DOOR SUV, 2008, $36988, 63364 

miles, Stock # GM2737B, Randy 

Marion 1-877-370-7788. 

CHEVROLET TAHOE LT, BLACK, 

4 Door SUV, 2007, $26988, 34830 


1-877-370-7788. 

CHRYSLER 300C, Blue, 4 DOOR 

SEDAN, 2006, $12988, 122110 miles, 

Stock # BU0746A, Randy Marion 

1-877-370-7788. 

CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY 

LX, Red, MINIVAN, 2009, $16988, 

50060 miles, Stock # 12328Z, Randy 

Marion 1-877-370-7788. 

DODGE RAM 1500, Blue, PICKUP 

TRUCK, 2003, $8988, 71167 miles, 


1-877-370-7788. 

FORD FREESTAR LIMITED, Black, 

MINVIAN, 2006, $11988, 74867 

miles, Stock # BU0684A, Randy Marion 

1-877-370-7788. 

FORD MUSTANG GT, Silver, 2 

DOOR COUPE, 2008, $21488, 25970 

miles, Stock # GM2817A, Randy 

Marion 1-877-370-7788. 

GMC ACADIA SLT, White, 4 DOOR 

SUV, 2007, $30988, 57235 miles, 


370-7788. 

GMC SIERRA X-CAB 1500, White, 

PICKUP TRUCK, 2001, $7988, 

130641 miles, Stock# GM2870A, 

Randy Marion 1-877-370-7788. 

GMC SONOMA CREW 4WD, SAN- 

DALWOOD METALLIC, Pickup 

Truck, 2003, $10988, 69968 miles, 


1-877-370-7788. 

GMC YUKON, ONYX BLACK, 

4 Door SUV, 2008, $28888, 40217 


1-877-370-7788. 

HONDA ACCORD LX, Silver, 4 

DOOR SEDAN, 2008, $15888, 41113 


1-877-370-7788. 

HONDA CR-V LX, Green 4 DOOR 

SUV, 2007, $14988, 59662 miles, 

Stock# GM2752A, Randy Marion 

1-877-370-7788. 

HUMMER H3, Graphite 4 DOOR 

SUV, 2008, $24988, 25167 miles, 

Stock# 12334ZA, Randy Marion 

1-877-370-7788. 

NISSAN ALTIMA GXE LIMITED, 

Black, 4 DOOR SEDAN, 2001, $6988, 

92589 miles, Stock # BU0722A, Randy 

Marion 1-877-370-7788. 

PONTIAC G6, Beige, 4 DOOR SE- 

DAN, 2009, $12288, 33882 miles, 


370-7788. 

SATURN OUTLOOK, COCOA, 

4 Door SUV, 2007, $19988, 38708 


1-877-370-7788. 

SATURN VUE XE, White, 4 DOOR 

SUV, 2009, $14488, 36966 miles, 

Stock# 12271Z, Randy Marion 1-877- 

370-7788. 

SUZUKI XL-7, Black, 4 DOOR SUV, 

2008, $14988, 32321 miles, Stock # 

GM2849B, Randy Marion 1-877-370- 

7788. 

TOYOTA SCION XB, Blue/Gray, 

4 DOOR WAGON, 2008, $12988, 

65823 miles, Stock # 12133ZA, Randy 

Marion 1-877-370-7788. 

VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE GLS, 

Red, CONVERTIBLE, 2004, $10888, 

58076 miles, Stock# 12315ZA, Randy 

Marion 1-877-370-7788. 

2001 KIA SPORTAGE- Red 4WD 

4-Door Sportage with brand new tires. 

75,000 miles only asking $3,500! 918- 

504-4026. 090310. 

GOLF CART EZGO-2002 Electric, 

Garage Kept, Speed chip, Headlights. 

Excellent Condition. $2149.00 Contact 

Brent 704-589-4700. 091010. 

FOR SALE 

NEW MATTRESS SETS! Still in 

CARGO TRAILER 2010 Trans haul 

8’ V-nose trailer with lift door. Only 20 

miles $1,300. 704-770-8268. 082710. 

QUEEN SIZE MURPHY bed – 3 

piece set with glass shelves, drawers, 

and lighting – dark stained maple 

wood finish and crown molding – new. 

$4,200 704-770-8268. 082710. 

FOR SALE: TOTALED my Gold 

Wing so I have 3 helmets, blue, 2 with 

mics (5 pin); 3 nylon saddle bags, 1 

trunk bag, 2 rain suits. Floyd 704-542- 

9696; 704-293-0091. 090310. 

L. MID. OAK Cradle with L. Mid. Doll 

$250 Standing 28” Quilt Frame-$30. 

704-889-5646. 082710. 

Drivers Needed 

Open Home Delivery Routes 

Immediate Openings for 

the Mooresville Area 

You will need to have reliable transporta- 

factory plastic! K$175 Q$125, F$99, tion, proof of insurance and a clean driving 

T$88. WEEKLY 2928 Monroe IN THE Rd, SOUTH 28205. 704- CHARLOTTE, record. Must be UNION available to pick COUNTY up and 

332-8090. New, not refurbs. Pillow-tops 

K$285, Q$195, F$145, T$125! to lift newspaper bundles weighing 50-75 lbs 

deliver papers on Friday mornings, be able 

MATTHEWS-MINT HILL AREA. 

Honest! Bring this ad! 110510. 

and be familiar with the route delivery area. 


A QUEEN PILLOWTOP or mattress, call 704-766-2100. 

new in plastic, with warranty can 

deliver, $150, 704-604-9846. 5Pc 

Cherry Bedroom Set, Brand New, can 

del, $295, 704-604-9846. 090310. 

IF INTERESTED PLEASE CALL GARY 

704-849-2261 


Service Directory 

IN THE MATTHEWS-MINT HILL AREA. 


or call 704-849-2261. 

STUMP GRINDING 

Adkins 

Stump Grinding Service 

 

 

ogadkins@bellsouth.net 

 

Stewart Homes, Inc. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

charlotte weekly 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

704-875-1513 

Michael Stewart S h a n n o n S t e w a r t Justin Stewart 

Advertise Your 

Business Here 

For Service Directory advertising information e-mail 

servicedirectory@carolinaweeklynewspapers.com or call 704-849-2261 

Window Repair 

Insulated Glass 

Exterior Wood Repairs 

Screens 

P: 704-573-2131 

C: 704-578-6264 

WEE FIX-IT SERVICE 

5 yr warranty• Licensed • Since 1969 • Bonded 

ACE 

PLUMBING SERVICES INC. 

ANDREW CULP 

“For ALL Your Plumbing Needs” 

AFFORDABLE PRICING 

EXTENDED WARRANTIES 

REMODELING 

OFFICE: 704-821-2989 

MOBILE: 704-634-6906 

SAME DAY/NEXT DAY SERVICE 

24-HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE 

BACKHOE SERVICE 

NEXTEL: 150*21*64316 

ACE.PLUMB@HOTMAIL.COM 




circulation 

of 106,000 weekly in the south 

charlotte, huntersville, cornelius, davidson, 

union county, matthews-mint hill, mountain 

island and mooresville areas. 

to advertise, email victoria@carolinaweekly 


LEYLAND CYPRESS TREES 

-(Americas Most Planted Privacy 

Tree) - (3-4) feet tall $19.99, 5 gallon 

size (4-5 feet tall) $29.99, or 7 gallon 

size (5-6 feet tall $39.99. We will deliver 

and plant at no additional charge! 

Starting this month - fall special on 

Crape Myrtles - 6-7 footers delivered 

and planted for $69.99 (we have red, 

pink & white). Call 704-426-0947. 

091010. 

DESK/HUTCH, CREDENZA home/ 

office furniture set. Lots of felt-lined 

drawers, closed cabinets w/ adj. 

shelves. Traditional Lexington, Stanton 

Collection. Solid wood/parquet 

inlaid wood veneer doors w/ cherry 

finish. Like new, Exc. cond. No longer 

need home office. View on-line or 

at Staples. Pd. $1100. Asking 800.00. 

Matching Lawyer-style Bookcase 

4 shelves w/ glass slide-up doors. 

$90.00. 704 766-0691 or 704 608- 

5399. 082710. 

3 PIECE BEDROOM set. Bridge, 

Armoire, dresser w/mirror. Good 

Condition. $650.00. Laquer triple 

dresser w/end table & mirror. Good 

condition. $350.00. 704-895-0516. 

082710. 

MATTRESS OUTLET: Save Money, 

T, F, Q, K mattresses, new w/warranty, 

sets start at $119, $139, $149, $229, 

PillowTop, Sealy, Plush, American- 

House Sitting 

Older Children 

By Retired Couple 

South Charlotte 

704-341-3599 

Drivers: Reefer Div! 

Holiday/Vac Pay! 

Health/Life, 401K. CDL-A, 

2yrs exp. 

Good driving record. 

800-936-6770 x111; 

www.wwtransportinc.com 

TENNIS PLAYERS 

WANTED 

3.5 to 4.5 Rating 

Seeking Intermediate rated 

“Male Double” players to join 

our great group for either Monday 

or Thursday nights or both, 

on my deluxe home court 

with LIGHTS in Waxhaw 

Call Steve: 704-243-4446 

Pedic, Eurotop, Symbol, Basic to 

Luxury, Delivery and More, 704-677- 

6643. 100110. 

Help wanted 

EXPERIENCED CARE GIVER and 

companion for male person, position 

requires health care, cooking, cleaning, 

and driving. Additional requirements 

for position: height 5’4” or taller, high 

school graduate, have good manners 

and appearance, prefer female twentyfour 

to fifty, drug free, in good health 

and physical condition. You cannot 

have any outside obligations that 

could interfere with your employment. 

Your background will be professionally 

checked. Working time is 12 hours 

per day, on site time is 24 hours, for 

six days, followed by six days off for 

rest and relaxation. Exceptional living 

conditions in modern home. Excellent 

pay compensation commensurate for 

person who meets required qualifications. 

Reply to Edwin @ 704 -200 – 

5845, 9:00AM to 5:00PM, Monday 

thru Saturday. 091010. 

Drivers: Year Round Freight! 

Great Working Environment! 

Home Weekends! 1yr Tractor/ 

Trailer exp. Req. 

800-545-1351 

www.cypresstruck.com 

ALL STEEL BUILDINGS 


HUNTERSVILLE PART TIME: 10- 

12 hours per week to start. Anti-aging 

facials. No injections or chemicals. 

Will fully train, no experience necessary. 

Flexible hours. Good starting 

hourly pay with opportunity for commissions. 

Neat appearance, punctuality, 

dependability a must. Excellent 

people skills required. Permanent position. 

Call 704/608-7399. 082710. 

PELICAN’S PATIO BAR & Grille 

now hiring for all shifts and positions. 

Please call (704) 896-7456 

to schedule an interview. 19930 W. 

Catawba Ave suite 130, Cornelius, 

NC. 091010. 

PARTS CLERK/ ASSISTANT Equipment 

Mechanic: Town of Matthews 

Public Works Department is seeking 

an individual to perform work in the 

procurement, storing and issuance of 

parts for the repair and servicing of 

Town automotive equipment; including 

receiving, ordering and issuing 

parts and supplies; maintaining parts 

inventory; assisting with equipment 

maintenance; maintaining records and 

files. General knowledge of the availability 

and procurement of automotive 

equipment parts and suppliers; general 

knowledge of parts inventory and related 

accounting procedures; some 

knowledge of the repair and maintenance 

of automotive equipment; ability 

to establish and maintain effective 

working relationships with associates 

and public; and other related tasks as 

required. Any combination of education 

and experience equivalent to 

graduation from high school. General 

knowledge of inventory and warehouse 

procedures, computer proficient 

with some auto mechanic experience. 

Must have valid driver’s license. Prefer 

CDL-B. Starting salary $27,522. 

Send completed application (available 

online at www.matthewsnc.com) to 

HR at 232 Matthews Station Street, 

Matthews NC 28105. EOE. Open until 

September 3, 2010. 082710. 

PART TIME HELPER. Retired man 

needs another retiree to assist with 

outside chores one day a week minimum. 

Call 704-399-7668 after five 

pm. 091710. 

MUSIC DIRECTOR. DIRECT & 

conduct instrumental & vocal performances 

in our church. F/T $16.50/hr. 

Send res: The Korean First Presbyterian 

Church of Charlotte working 

at, 6930 Wallace Rd. Charlotte, NC 

28212. 082710. 

PURE TAQUERIA IS opening in historic 

downtown Matthews and is looking 

to hire talented, outgoing Staff 

(lunch and dinner) for the following 

positions: Kitchen Staff: Experienced 

line cooks and kitchen staff for FT & 

PT positions. Minimum 2 years experience 

working in a table service restaurant 

and fast paced kitchen. Fine 

dining experience and fluent English 

a plus. FOH Staff: Energetic experienced 

Servers, Bartenders, Server Assistants 

and Hosts. Minimum 2 years 

experience in table service restaurants 

and be willing to work at least 20 to 

30 hours per week. Training to begin 

September 20, 2010. Send resumes to 

matthews@puretaqueria.com or apply 

in person between 11am and 2pm 

(M-F) at 131 Matthews Station Street, 

Suite 1E, Matthews, NC 28105. For 

more information, visit the Matthews 

page at www.puretaqueria.com. 

082710. 

Business OppOrtunities 

NEED ADDITIONAL INCOME! 

Learn to operate a Mini-Office Outlet. 

50 yr old Distribution Company 

looking for online trainers. Work 

from home. Flexible hours. Free online 

training. www.12bestbiz4u.com. 

100110. 

ARE YOU INTERESTED in saving 

money on the products you use everyday 

by simply changing the brand 

you use? 7049186738 or Jheidman. 

myshaklee.com. Order 50 dollars or 

more get one free 16-ounce bottle of 

our best household cleaner. 070111. 

$75k+++ Leads Leads Leads. Mort. 

Prot. Ins. Call 1-800-424-2817. 

102210. 

UNLIMITED ELECTRICAL LI- 

CENSE - 20 years experience - service 

dept. flat rate pricing new construction 

estimator. I will qualify and 

or manage. Construction Company 

or Mechanical. Let’s talk jbeau@miconnection.com. 

082710. 

PARKING LOT FOR rent: zoned 

downtown center, across from Huntersville 

fire dept./Discovery kids. 704- 

875-9482. 082710. 

services 

KIDS PARTY ENTERTAINMENT! 

We come to you! Invite your child’s 

favorite LOOK- A-LIKE character to 

their party to entertain! Ages 1-10. 

Clowns, Characters, Wow Wubzy, 

Yo Gabba, Dora, Sponge, Storybook 

Cinderella, Mermaid, Sleeping, Frog, 

& Fairy Princesses, Superheroes, 

Star Wars, Pirates, TOY Cowboys, 

Train themes too! Face Painters, Balloon 

Twisters, Tattoos, Magic & Puppets, 

Games, Moonwalks, Birthdays, 

Church Socials, Open Houses, Daycares, 

Grand Openings, HOA Festivals, 

www.WishUponAStarParties. 

com. 704-780-4300. 092410. 

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR for 

installations of ceiling fans, light fixtures, 

receptacles, circuit additions, 

main power panels, room additions 

and all other electrical requirements 

& repairs, NC. Licensed, Call anytime 

“So/Lo” Electrical Services 704-622- 

0654. Lowest prices always. Reliable 

references. 101510. 

$50 FOR 90 MINUTE MASSAGE 

by Julie Dean. New Northeast Location! 

13534 Plaza Road Extension. 

I-485 & Rocky River Road Exit 36. 

704-502-5695. Easy Access, 1 Mile 

Off Highway. Servicing University, 

Harrisburg/Concord, Mint Hill/Matthews 

Or Original Lake Norman Location 

16501-D Northcross Drive, 

Huntersville. Across From Outback 

Steakhouse. Licensed, Professional, 

Therapeutic, Completely Nonsexual, 

Swedish, Deep Tissue, Prenatal. 

15 Years Experience. License 

#2096. www.Juliedeanmassage.com. 

082710. 

R. SIMON’S LAWN Care- full service 

maintenance company. Weekly, 

monthly, yearly and one time mowing 

services available. We specialize in 

pruning small trees and shrubs. Prun- 

Shop Shop & & Warehouse / Garage && RV RV Storage Storage 

Office & Recreation / Mini Storage 

Ofce & Recreation / Agricultural & Barn Aviation 

ALL SIZES AVAILABLE - Free Quotes 

Timeless 

Anew Skin Care 

Beauty – - since Since 1886! 1886! 

Mini Storage / Churches / Fitness Center 

Perfumes 

Anew Anew Skin Skin Care Timeless Beauty – since 1886! 

Cosmetics Anew Care Anew Skin Skin Care Care 

Perfumes 

Anew Skin Care Timeless 

Order 

Timeless Order Beauty 

Online 

Beauty – – since 1886! 

Perfumes 

Online – since 1886! Fashion 

CUSTOM ALL SIZES AVAILABLE HOME BUILDING 

- Free Quotes 

Cosmetics 

Perfumes 

Jewelry 

Cosmetics Cosmetics www.YourAvon.com/bsteen Fashion 

www.YourAvon.com/bsteen 

Order Online Order Order Online Hair Care 

Fashion 

Build on our lot or your own! 

Cosmetics 

Jewelry Jewelry 

Jewelry 

www.YourAvon.com/bsteen Hair Care 

Fashion 

Hair Care 

Order UPS Delivery Online 

Experts Build in Residential on our & lot Commercial or your own! Consturction Jewelry 

UPS Delivery 

www.YourAvon.com/bsteen Hair Care 

UPS Delivery UPS UPS Delivery Delivery 

Brenda Steen 

www.blutobuilders.com 

Brenda Steen 

Independent Brenda Steen 

Independent Brenda Sales 

Independent Sales Steen Brenda Representative 

Representative Sales 

Steen 

Representative 

blutobuilders@bellsouth.net 

Independent UPS Independent Sales Representative Delivery Sales Representative 

Email: 

Email: 

iwantavon@bellsouth.net 

iwantavon@bellsouth.net 

Email: iwantavon@bellsouth.net 

704-782-6212 704-782-6216 Ofce 


Ph: Ph: Email: (704) (704) iwantavon@bellsouth.net 

439-6429 439-6429 Ph: (704) 439-6429 

Ph: (704) Brenda 439-6429 Ph: (704) Steen 439-6429 

Independent Sales Representative 

CUSTOM HOME BUILDING 


Ph: (704) 439-6429 

ing contracts and yearly lawn maintenance 

contracts available. Aeration 

and over-seeding starting Sept. We are 

licensed and insured. Call 704-849- 

8075, email rjs2155@localnet.com. - 

www.rsimonslawncare.com. 102210. 

WINDOW & GUTTER Cleaning, 

Interior - Exterior, No Streaks, Sills 

Cleaned, All Done By Hand, Gutter 

Cleaning Starting At $65.00. Gutter 

Repairs, Gutter Guards, Pressure 

Washing 3300 PSI, Fully Insured, 

Call: Tony Grooms 980-329-4410. 

091710. 

J & S LANDSCAPING and Pressure 

Cleaning. Residential/Commercial. 

Installation, maintenance and mowing, 

spring clean-ups. House washing, 

driveways, decks and fleet trucks. Free 

estimates. Call Jim at 704-724-4915. 

091010. 

CONCEALED CARRY HANDGUN 

Permit Class. August 13/14 or August 

27/28. Friday 6 to 8:30pm & Saturday 

8:00am to 1:30pm, range time to 

follow. Call 704-892-7839 for information 

& reservation. Lake Norman 

Firearms Inc., 20823 N. Main Street, 

Cornelius. 091010. 

PAINTING SPECIAL DISCOUNTS 

$79 Per Room every day all the time. 

Gold Star Painting is Charlottes premier 

painting company. Fully licensed 

and insured. We are skilled 

professional painters and do paint 

every day. Services include painting, 

drywall, wallpaper, and pressure 

washing. Interior and exterior. Commercial 

and residential we paint for 

everyone. Free Estimate 704-776- 

6698. 092410. 

LAWNS -N- MORE: Mowings 

starting from $35.00 (includes front 

and back). Quality & Reliable. Full 

Service Lawn Care. Other Services: 

Interior/Exterior Improvements 

& Decks, Rottenwood, Plumbing, 

Kitchens/Baths at Handyman Prices, 

Lic. Ins. Bonded. 704-617-2662. 

0910010. 

HOLLOWAY QUALITY PAINTING 

- Interior and Exterior Painting, Pressure 

Washing, Deck Refinishing. 30 

yrs experience, Insured. References 

available, Member of BBB. Free estimates! 

704-619-9022. 090310. 

CHRISTOPHER’S ELECTRICAL 

SERVICE - A fully licensed, insured, 

and bonded electrical contractor. 

Small jobs and big jobs, we 

have what it takes to get it done. All 

phases of residential and light commercial. 

If you’re in need on a new 

light fixture or need your new addition 

wired, we’re the ones to call. 

Prompt professional service. 704- 

280-4174 or email: christopherselectric@gmail.com. 

082710. 

A CLEANING SOLUTION, LLC 

has been serving Lake Norman with 

excellence since 1989. We have an 

A rating with Angie’s List. Call 704- 

564-0781 or visit our website at www. 

dustnomore.com. 082710. 

BACKYARD DECORATIONScomplete 

landscaping, stonework, 

building ponds, outdoor kitchens, 

patios, decks, fences, painting inside 

and out and much more! 10%OFF on 

all jobs! Affordable prices-fantastic 

quality! Call Angel 704-728-1720 or 

vuchevangel@yahoo.com. 092410. 



CIRCULATION 

OF 106,000 WEEKLY IN THE SOUTH 

CHARLOTTE, HUNTERSVILLE, CORNELIUS, DAVIDSON, 

UNION COUNTY, MATTHEWS-MINT HILL, MOUNTAIN 

ISLAND AND MOORESVILLE AREAS. 

To advertise, email victoria@carolinaweekly 


AFFORDABLE CLEANING-$40 

per 1000sqft. Servicing Huntersville, 

Cornelius, Davidson and Denver area. 

References available! $10 OFF the 

first cleaning! Call Mariya 704-728- 

1923 or email mariyavucheva@yahoo.com. 

092410. 

1-800-LAWN-GURU Offering full 

service year around or seasonal mowing 

and maintenance. Commercial and 

residential. We are a locally owned 

and operated business. Licensed and 

insured. 704-430-6459. 091710. 

POWER WASHING SPECIALISTS - 

Fast Professional Service. Affordable 

Rates. All Work Guaranteed. Low 

Pressure - High Heat – Housewash. 

704-919-9730. www.zapitwash.com. 

082710. 

ALL PLUMBING NEEDS, reasonable 

rates, guaranteed work, Lic. n.c. 

& s.c. and insured. Call 704-8434783. 

091710. 

WRITE WITH ME: writing circles, 

weekend retreats, classes, editing. 

For 20 years, a N.C. writer/instructor. 

barbaralawing.com 704-875-6112. 

090310. 

M & A CLEANING offers home, 

business, office and after party cleanup. 

No job too big or small. Contact Al 

@ 843-712-0114 for estimate / appt. 

Mraledge@aol.com. 090310 

JOB WANTED- RECEPTIONIST, 

assistant, phones, helper. Many skills, 

reliable, with good references. Call 

Carol 704-441-5899. 082710. 

SOUTH CHARLOTTE HOUSE 

Cleaning – 20+ years service. Owner 

operated. Respectful, careful, detailed, 

flexible. Reasonable rates. References 

phone numbers provided. For information 

call Sandra at 704-543-0476. 

090310. 

HOME REMODELING/HANDY- 

MAN repairs/bathrooms, decks, kitchens, 

windows, doors, fixtures, fans, 

sheds, sheetrock, siding, and affordable 

power washing. Interior / exterior. 

Hi-Quality professional at your 

service. Licensed/insured. Ref Avail. 

704-766-0568. 091710. 

PINNELL SMALL JOBS: We finish 

what your husband started! Tile, 

Sheetrock repair, Painting, Plumbing 

repairs, Lighting changes, Deck 

cleaning / staining, sliding glass door 

problems, Screen replacement (some 

types). Or if you have a list of different 

things you need done give us a 

call. References are available. Ask for 

Sam. 704-942-6256. 092410. 

SLOW COMPUTER? VIRUSES? 

We Can Help! Virus/Spyware Removal 

Hardware/Software Upgrades 

Operating System Reinstalls KeelsTech 

704-516-4282 Come see us! 

102-D S. Main (facing Maxwell 

Ave.) 091010. 

CHILD CARE 

BABYSITTING FROM HUNTERS- 

VILLE home, starting at 6:00am til 

5:30pm Monday – Friday. To schedule 

an appointment call 704-401-4948. 

082710. 

RETIRED TEACHER-GRANDMA 

would like to take care of children, 

ages 3 months and older. Matthews 

area. References on request. 704-841- 

1052. 082710. 

ABC DAYCARE IS now open. We 

are taking enrollment for children 

0-12 years. Great rates, loving home, 

and dependable providers. Hours of 

service Mon – Fri 630am – 1130pm. 

For a tour please call 704-728-2842 

or email shakira1024@yahoo.com. 

Monthly date night offered to parents. 

We are excited to have the opportunity 

to ensure your child’s mental, physical 

and spiritual growth. 082710. 

PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION FOR 

School Children – pickup and deliver 

to your home daily. No more worry 

about your child’s safety on school 

buses. Affordable rates. Call 704-532- 

7655. 090310. 

GARAGE SALES 

HUGE CONSIGNMENT SALE - Sat, 

Aug 28th Sponsored by LKN Mothers 

of Multiples: Gently used clothes, 

shoes, Halloween costumes, coats, 

toys, books, exersaucers, high chairs, 

strollers, bedding, maternity clothes, 

and so much more! 7-8 am - Early 

Bird shopping ($1 entry fee) 8-11 

am - Open to Public 11-11:30 am - 

closed for Half Price set up 11:30 - 1 

pm - Half Price sale. Brawley Middle 

School Gym, 664 Brawley School 

Road. More info: lnmom.org. 082710. 

MOVING YARD SALE 8/28/2010- 

Everything must go. Household items, 

Kitchen, seasonal decorations and ornaments 

and home decor items. 15624 

Waterfront Drive Huntersville 8am - 

12pm. 082710. 

MULTI FAMILY Yard Sale Saturday 

8/28 7-noon. 21019 Pine Street, Cornelius. 

See Craigs List for items or call 

704-795-8245 for message. 082710. 

HUGE MULTI-FAMILY yard sale 

8/28! Treebranch Drive in Chastain 

Subdivision off Mt. Holly-Huntersville 

Rd. Furniture, electronics, 

household items, and children’s 

clothing and toys. Everything must 

go! 082710. 

COMMUNITY YARD SALE Sat 

8/28 7am-12pm. 8 homes! Huntersville: 

Monteith Place Hwy 115 

between Gilead/ Hambright. Namebrand 

clothes, shoes, handbags, furniture, 

tools, baby clothes, toys, 

gifts. Cheverly Drive. 082710. 

MOVING/ESTATE SALE - THE 

PENINSULA- Saturday, August 28th- 

8am-1pm-18710 Peninsula Cove 

Lane, Cornelius, NC-Almost new 

home decor, furniture, antique items, 

kitchen items, dishes and much more! 

082710. 

DIVORCE YARD SALE! Antique 

hand wash stand, new set ramp boards 

to change oil, beautiful framed artwork, 

home decor, gorgeous new area 

rug with pad, 2 sets bed headboard 

and footboards, lamps, and numerous 

household items. 9714 Cadman Court 

in Oakhurst subdivision off Bailey 

rd. Sell starts at 7:30. No early birds 

please. Rain or shine. 082710. 

YARD SALE SATURDAY Aug 28th. 

Cureton subdivision, 8032 Whitehawk 

Hill Rd in Waxhaw 8am electronics/ 

miscellaneous items. 082710. 

GARAGE SALE - Sat. 8/28/10, 8am- 

3pm. Children games toys, b-ball 

hoop, 2 person swing, GE fridge, 

kitchen goods, books and more. 1401 

Willow Ridge Lane Waxhaw. 082710. 

EVENTS 

INTERNATIONAL COLLECT- 

IBLES and antiques, held the first full 

weekend of every month at Metrolina 

Tradeshow Expo. Show dates: 

Sept 2-5. The tradition continues, 

in Charlotte, where treasures await! 

7100 Statesville Road, Charlotte, NC 

28269, visit www.icashows.com 704- 

714-7909. 020511. 

MISCELLANEOUS 

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR for 

installations of ceiling fans, light fixtures, 

receptacles, circuit additions, 

main power panels, room additions 

and all other electrical requirements 

& repairs, NC. Licensed, Call anytime 

“So/Lo” Electrical Services 704-622- 

0654. Lowest prices always. Reliable 

references. 101510. 

I AM LOOKING for available rentable 

pre-existing restaurant space 

close to 1400 square feet. Preferably 

north Charlotte up to Mooresville 

area. Call evenings 7 pm to 9 pm 704- 

948-1607. 090310. 

REAL ESTATE- RENT/LEASE 

WWW.THECABININTHEWOODS. 

COM Vacation Rentals Western 

NC Smokey Mountain cabins. $60/ 

nt $350/wk. Pets welcome. 828-735- 

1930n or 828-735-3368. 082710. 

WATER OAK (HIGHLY desirable) 

Lake and Pool, sidewalk community. 

Morehouse Ave. $1250/mth 3 bdr/2 

bth, formal dining, great room. 1776 

sq. ft. approx, pergo floors down, outdoor 

storage room, 704-451-4646. 

82710. 

REAL ESTATE- FOR SALE 

LONG CREEK, 2.5 wooded acres. 

$80,000. DAVIDSON, 2BR, porch, 

etc. $100,000. KERNS ROAD, 3 

wooded acres, $110,000. LONG 

CREEK, 4 wooded acres, $200,000. 

Onward USA 

Luxury Motor Coach Tours 

Come experience The Historic Greenbrier Resort and Casino! 

"America's Resort" is now America's premier gambling destination 

featuring 37 gaming tables and 320 state-of-the-art slot machines. 

Package Inclusions: 

• Transportation via bus to and from The Greenbrier • $20.00 in Free Slot 

Play • Overnight accommodations • Afternoon tea and concert 

• Historic hotel or grounds tour 

Currently booking for September & October. 

Call 704-814-9247. 

CORNELIUS, 4BR2BA brick duplex. 

$215,000. DAVIDSON Potential 

Home site, ¾ acre lot w/useable 

house, $275,000. KERNS ROAD, 

4BR3BA, marble, granite, tile 3 car 

garage, on 3 acres. $390,000. HAM- 

BRIGHT ROAD, 6 acres W/3BR2BA 

house, 2 & 4 car garage, etc. Business. 

$800,000. Huntersville Real Estate 

704-875-3999. 

BLUE RIDGE MTN Condos: Cool/ 

Private, No Maint, 2bd/2ba, 1400 

sqft. Beat the Heat! Get away in 90 

minutes. New Construction/Custom, 

$170k. 800-470-8949, www.RidgewayManor.com. 

090310. 

FORECLOSURES- A Workshop for 

Buyers. Sat 8/28/10 10am-11am or 

Wed 9/1/10 6:30pm-7:30pm. Keller 

Williams Realty Cornelius. 19721 

Bethel Church Rd, Cornelius. RSVP 

704-451-1342 or sandy@kw.com. 

Workshop will teach you: 6 Realities 

driving the distressed property market; 

How to get your offer accepted and 

contract closed; How to be a winning 

buyer in today’s market. Sandy Coyer, 

Broker. 082710. 

NC MOUNTAIN COTTAGE 2BR 1+ 

1/2 bath. Very well maintained. Fully 

furnished, upgraded appliances, beautifully 

decorated. Open kitchen, dining/ 

living area. Lg. windows w/ beautiful 

views. lg. laundry room off covered 

back porch/storage area. Covered sitting 

front porch w/ storage area, Lg. 

deck with fireplace, furnished outdoor 

furniture. Covered space above deck 

for cable TV to watch all the games 

out doors by fireplace. All natural 

setting, no lawn maintenance. Paved 

driveway. 90 minutes from Charlotte. 

Near ski resorts, BlueRidge Parkway, 

hiking trails, Boone & Blowing Rock. 

Enjoy cool summers, great winter 

fun. Located in Land Harbor (amenities 

galore) Linville NC On-line pictures 

available. Recently reduced to 

$89,900. 704 458 5563. 082710. 

MARION NC, 1 acre property at Lake 

James with 1 boat slip, mountain and 

PREQUALIFY 

NOW! 

Go to 

EZPrequal.com 

America’s #1 

Manufactured Home Lender. 

It’s FREE! 

NMLS#1561 

EZPrequal.com 

lake views, graded and ready to build. 

Paved road, corner lot. $59,000. 828- 

925-8941. 091010. 

HOT DEALS! NEW homes are sizzling. 

Low interest rates make your 

payments lower than rent. Call an experienced 

realtor that will assist with a 

great house and easy steps to closing. 

Prices $150,000 - $600,000 include 

granite, stainless appliances and garage. 

Call Kitty Giese, Broker, Southern 

Homes of The Carolinas 704-502- 

5656 soon before rates rise. 091710. 

PETS 

LOST CAT- LAST seen August 13th 

near MacAulay’s Hugh Torrance 

Pkwy and the Stumptown Rd traffic 

circle. Light brown with black stripes. 

704-280-1695. 090310. 

JACK RUSSELL for sale. 2 yr old 

male w/ papers, sweet, well trained, 

excellent watchdog $150.00 w/crate 

male cockatiel & cage $85.00 two 

young female guinea pigs w/ cage 

$40.00. 704-947-9795. 090310. 

HUMANE SOCIETY UNION 

COUNTY- Wanna feel needed, make 

a difference, meet friends? Furry 

& not! Volunteer! Foster/web help/ 

fundraise/photos. Fellow animal lovers, 

our dogs/cats need YOU. Please 

e-mail hsuc@hs-uc.org. 

TRI-COUNTY Animal Rescue has animals 

for adoption at Pet Smart in Gastonia. 

Hours are Friday 6-9, Saturday 12-6 

and Sunday 2-6. 704-263-2444. TFN 

THE GREAT DANE Rescue of the 

Carolinas is 100% funded and ran 

by public donations and volunteers. 

The GDRC helps place Great Danes 

and all size mixed breed dogs in their 

forever homes. Please visit our website 

at www.greatdanerescue.org. You 

can visit with our wonderful orphans 

the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month 

from 1-4pm at 10425 Mt. Holly-Huntersville 

Road, Huntersville. “We Find 

Great People For Danes, Not Great 

Danes For People.” 



RANDYMARIONGMC.NET • 13701 STATESVILLE RD., HUNTERSVILLE, NC • 877-370-7788 • RANDYMARIONGMC.NET • 13701 STATESVILLE RD., HUNTERSVILLE, NC • 877-370-7788 • RANDYMARIONGMC.NET 

• 13701 STATESVILLE RD., HUNTERSVILLE, NC • 877-370-7788 • RANDYMARIONGMC.NET • 13701 STATESVILLE RD., HUNTERSVILLE, NC • 877-370-7788 • 

“The New Class 

of World Class” 

1-866-659-4462 

2003 BUICK LESABRE 

BU0695A 

$4,988 

2009 CHEVROLET HHR LS 

12257Z 

$11,888 

2006 CHRYSLER 300C 

BU0746A 

$12,988 

2008 HONDA ACCORD LX 

12213Z 

$15,888 

2005 CHEVROLET 

SILVERADO GM2709A 

$16,888 

2008 FORD MUSTANG GT 

GM2817A 

$21,488 


SUBURBAN LT 12338Z 

$27,888 

2001 NISSAN ALTIMA 

GXE LIMITED BU0722A 

$6,988 

2006 FORD FREESTAR 

LIMITED BU0684A 

$11,988 

2008 TOYOTA SCION XB 

12133ZA 

$12,988 


TAHOE LS GM2749A 

$15,888 

2009 CHRYSLER TOWN 

& COUNTRY LX 12328Z 

$16,988 

2007 CHEVROLET TAHOE 

12335Z 

$21,988 

2007 GMC ACADIA SLT 

12332Z 

$30,988 

2001 GMC SIERRA 

X-CAB 1500 GM2870A 

$7,988 


COBALT LT 12306Z 

$11,988 

2007 CADILLAC STS 

12340ZA 

$22,488 

VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE GLS 

12315ZA 

$10,888 

2003 GMC SONOMA 

CREW 4WD GM2563A 

$10,888 

MARKET 

2007 HONDA CR-V LX 

12247Z 

GM2752A 

$14,988 

12248Z 

$14,988 

$14,988 

2008 BUICK ENCLAVE CXL 

BU0765A 

$30,988 

2009 PONTIAC G6 

12287Z 

$11,988 

2007 HUMMER H2 

12358Z 

$34,888 


12290Z 

$12,288 

BUY, SELL, OR TRADE 

WHOLESALE TO THE PUBLIC 

Open 9AM till 9PM Daily 


EXPRESS 2500 12316Z 

$16,988 

2009 PONTIAC G6 GXP 

12326Z 

$17,988 

2007 CADILLAC STS 

12322Z 

$22,488 


SILVERADO LT 12286Z 

$18,988 

2007 CADILLAC DTS 

12329Z 

$23,988 

2008 GMC YUKON XL SLT 

12336Z 

$32,988 

2009 CHEVROLET COBALT 

12283Z 

$10,488 

2005 CHEV. COLORADO 

2WD EXT CAB GM2907A 

$12,488 

2008 SUZUKI XL-7 

13701 STATESVILLE ROAD • HUNTERSVILLE 

Open 9AM to 9PM Daily Monday thru Saturday 

All prices + tax, tag, title,, Touch of class + $599 administration fee, from stock units with approved credit. **plus any dealer added options ex.= bed liner 

“We are 

Professional 

Grade” 

2008 CHEV. 4 DOOR EXT 

SILVERADO 12345Z 

$19,988 

• 13701 STATESVILLE RD., HUNTERSVILLE, NC • 877-370-7788 • RANDYMARIONGMC.NET • 13701 STATESVILLE RD., HUNTERSVILLE, NC • 877-370-7788 • 

GM2849B 

$14,988 


SILVERADO XCAB 

12341Z 

$15,988 

2008 NISSAN ALTIMA SE 

GM2683A 

$19,988 

2008 HUMMER H3 

12334ZA 

$24,988 

2007 GMC YUKON XL 

DENALI AWD 12351Z 

$34,988 


4WD LT GM2865A 

$10,988 


12295Z 

$12,788 

2007 FORD MUSTANG 

DELUXE 12222ZB 

$15,488 

2007 PONTIAC G6 GT 

SPORT BU0735A 

$15,988 

2007 GMC YUKON XL SLT 

12337Z 

$25,488 


4WD LTZ 12355Z 

$34,988 

RANDYMARIONGMC.NET • 13701 STATESVILLE RD., HUNTERSVILLE, NC • 877-370-7788 • RANDYMARIONGMC.NET • 13701 STATESVILLE RD., HUNTERSVILLE, NC • 877-370-7788 • RANDYMARIONGMC.NET

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