Union County Weekly

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Union County

Serving Indian Trail, Marvin, Stallings, Waxhaw, Weddington and Wesley Chapel

INDEX: News Briefs, 6; Crime Blotter, 7; Scores, 8; Education, 12; Rev. Tony, 16; Faith, 17; Calendar, 18; Sports, 20; Classifieds, 23

page 11

Volume 10, Number 5 • Jan. 29 to Feb. 4, 2015 Locally Owned & Operatedwww.unioncountyweekly.com

HealtH & WellnessIt’s a new year– and it’s time for our first Health & Wellness issue of 2015.

This special issue of Union County Weekly includes all the local health news that impacts you and your family. We have also included 21 tips to maintain an active and positive lifestyle. Look for the green apple icon to the left for community fitness activities to get involved in. Be sure to look for other community health initiatives highlighted throughout the issue, as well.

New Cardio Center means less travel time for Union patients

Indian Trail optometrist unveils new eye-scanning technology

by Ryan [email protected]

F cusingon HealtH

INDIAN TRAIL - Dr. Keshav Bhat has welcomed the new year by introducing breakthrough technology to patients of his

Indian Trail optom-etry practice, becom-ing one of the first in Union County to do so.

Bhat recently began offering patients at Austin Village Eyecare an iWellness Exam, a state-of-the-art spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT)

(see Focusing on health on page 4)

by Lindell John [email protected]

Few activities are more comforting than watching tele-vision while relaxing in a recliner. That’s

the idea behind Carolina Medical Center-Union’s (CMC-Union) new Radial Lounge.

The lounge — the first of its kind in the area — allows patients who undergo cathe-terization procedures to recover in a recliner chair instead of being on their backs for sev-eral hours, said Caroline Lilly, a Carolinas HealthCare System spokesperson, said.

For many years, heart catheterization procedures were only performed by going through the femoral artery in the legs. Over the past few years, the equipment used for

this procedure has been modified to go through the radial artery in the wrist.

The new lounge is set up so the patients can relax before and after their procedure. There is TV for them to watch and refresh-ments. While sitting in the chair, staff mem-bers monitor the patients’ post-procedure vital signs, educate them on maintaining a healthy heart lifestyle, and when ready, dis-charge them from the hospital. All this is

done in a very relaxing environment instead of a patient bed.

Carolina Medical Center-Union (CMC-Union) is the only facility in Union County offering such services; however, many resi-dents don’t know about the new facilities and still drive into Charlotte or further for their cardiovascular needs, Lilly said.

CMC-Union offers an array of specialized (see CMC-Union on page 10)

Dr. Keshav Bhat reviewing results of an iWellness Exam. Photo courtesy of Dr. Keshave Bhat

Fitness in Focus

Group of Wesley Chapel residents petition to secede

from village

Heads Up:Concussion awareness

page 20

CommunityHealth

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WAXHAW – A year after being appointed to a state board that regulates the practice

of physical therapy in North Carolina, a Union County physical therapist has been given an even more prestigious appointment with the federal board in charge of overseeing the entire country.

David Reed, a practitioner at the Physi-cal Therapy Center in Waxhaw, was recently appointed to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy’s (FSBPT) Ethics and Legis-lation Committee.

Todd Koos, founder and CEO of the Physi-cal Therapy Center, announced the appoint-ment on Dec. 31, 2014. The announcement came as Reed wrapped up his first year serv-ing on the North Carolina Board of Physical Therapy Examiners (NCBPTE), to which Gov. Pat McCrory appointed him in January 2014 for a three-year term.

“I’d like to publicly congratulate Dave, he is most deserving of this honor,” Koos said in a press release announcing the appointment. “I am so grateful for his work within our com-pany. Since joining the PT Center team, he has added value every day to our mission.”

Reed is a new addition to the practice, which has offices in Monroe and Waxhaw. Koos brought him on in October 2014 from Spruce Pine – a small town between Asheville

and Boone – where he worked in the public sector.

“We absolutely love it,” Reed, an Indian Trail resident, said. “My wife and kids couldn’t be happier. They have been getting plugged in and discovering all the different things to do, and that makes it easier to work every day.”

Reed’s responsibili-ties on the FSBPT will be similar to those he familiarized himself with on the NCBPTE, but on a broader level. The federation is responsible for “devel-oping and analyzing methods to improve consumer protection,” Reed said.

Much of that work focuses on keeping up with new physi-cal therapy technology and deciding how such technology should be regulated, if at all.

In recent years, a focal point for both state and national regulatory organizations has been telemedicine– the use of telecommuni-cation and information technologies in order to provide clinical health care at a distance. This practice helps reach rural areas where

care may not be as readily available, but was barely regulated during its first years of prac-tice around the country.

“With the advent of new technology and new procedures being developed so quickly,

our job is to ask, ‘How do we regulate those things so that the con-sumer is protected to the fullest?’” Reed said.

Reed said he is excited to begin in his role with the FSBPT, which he said will expand on the same things he has been doing with the state board, but with a primary focus on public protection.

“It’s a great thing and an honor to be able to serve not only my pro-fession in the arena that I know, but also to be able to make sure that the highest standards are upheld,” Reed said.

“That is what’s most important to me: that the public receives the highest standard of care.”

Reed applied for the spot on the national federation in August 2014 while on the west coast for training with the state board. He found there was an opening on the national level and “I threw my name in the hat,” he

said. While his passion is to work with patients in

Union County, Reed said he has always been interested in the administrative side because of the broad reach the work there can have for the public.

“On a one-on-one basis I can help each per-son I see, but from a regulatory standpoint I can help colleagues put other physical therapy practices in the best position to do the same,” Reed said. “In doing that, I broaden the scope of my effect on public health.”

Reed said he has learned a lot during his first year with the NCBPTE, and was taken aback by how many practices fail to follow simple regulatory procedures that he hasn’t given a second thought to in his career.

One of the NCBPTE’s responsibilities is to look into consumer complaints, and that has made Reed familiar with some practitioners that aren’t up to the same standards as the practices he has worked with.

“I had no idea how much actually goes into the regulation of a practice,” Reed said. “I keep my boxes checked and my ducks in a row, but not everybody does the same thing.”

Since moving to Union County, however, Reed said he has been impressed with the promising levels of communication between healthcare providers – especially between local hospitals and private practices – that in the end helps get patients the best care possible.

“Everybody’s complete focus is on commu-nity and the wellness of the community,” Reed said. “I’ve worked in a few different places, and that can’t be said all over.”

Local physical therapist gets national recognition, responsibility

Winter weather precaution

David Reed, practitioner at the Physical Therapy Center in Waxhaw, said he has noticed how active people are in sports and exercise in western Union

County since arriving here in October 2014. “That’s really great,” Reed said. “Just be careful during this time of year. When it rains it can freeze and

become black ice, and that’s a good way to turn an ankle and come get to know me better.”

HealtH & Wellness tip #1


CommunityHealth


News

technology that scans the entire eyeball to help doctors recognize the onset of serious vision-related diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration.

Bhat, who opened his practice seven years ago, said the new technology helps during mystery cases in which it was once hard to find out why someone was having problems.

“This gives me that option,” Bhat said. “Say someone comes in and says, ‘My vision is great.’ They have 20/20 vision but they don’t quite see in crisp 20/20 and no one is able to explain why. Many times it is instruments like this that can find the reasons for that.”

The iWellness Exam - which has been compared to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and computerized axial tomog-raphy (CAT) scans in other fields - gives Bhat a 3-D look at a patient’s eye. He can also look at the eye in layers, in a way that he compares to flipping through a book of Post-It notes.

The exam gives Bhat access to parts of the eye that were once off limits to doctors.

One such part of the eye is the vitreous, a trans-parent, gel-like substance that holds the eye in place from the back. As a person ages, the vitre-ous breaks down naturally – pieces of the vitreous often appear in a person’s line of sight as “floaters” – but too much deterioration can lead to distortion or reduction of vision.

“This allows me to go behind the eyeball and keep lightening the picture until I can see what’s going on back there,” Bhat said. “Basi-cally the exam pulls together (millions of) data points that allow for us to compare and contrast at any given angle.”

Perhaps more valuable to doctors using the iWellness Exam than the actual vantage points are the points of reference the exam provides for comparisons.

Optovue, the company that developed the iWellness Exam, offers a “normative database” to any practice that purchases its equipment. The database holds 25.9 million data points on 442 normal subjects between ages 18 and 82, said Peter Naismith, senior director of product strategy at Optovue. The doctor uses that database to determine whether a patient’s eye conditions are on par with others in their given age range. “With-out question, (the database) has been one of the best changes to the practice,” Bhat said. “Without that normative line, you may not

know what you’re looking at compared to the average citizen.”

The new technology is another tool that helps Bhat look after his patients’ overall well-being, something he has done since arriving in Indian Trail in 2007.

Some may be taken aback to find that their blood pressure taken and height and weight measured on arrival at the office, but it’s all relative in Bhat’s eyes, and the new SD OCT technology is only helping him further that

cause. “We are not

just here to look at a person’s eyes,” Bhat said. “I strongly believe that overall health and wellness is what we’re after. We advise people on quitting smok-ing, we advise them on their body mass index. I’m not a nutritionist, but I think you have to consider the individual as a whole.”

Beyond vision problems, Bhat can use the high-definition images of a patient’s eye to see warning signs of diabetes,

hypertension or worse. “There have been a couple of occasions

where I have seen an individual with a high enough blood pressure and I’ve said, ‘Unless you go see a nurse, I’m not giving you your prescription,’” Bhat said. “Of course I can’t hold it back, legally, but I need them to real-ize how important it is. I have had nurses call from the hospital and say, ‘His (electrocardio-gram) reading was close to a heart attack, so thank you for taking the time to call us.’”

Despite the close calls, Bhat, a founding member of the now-defunct Indian Trail Business Association, said he has been happy to witness a surge of awareness for healthy living in western Union County over the past two years.

“The more and more people who move into the area, the more they bring a general awareness of what it means to be healthy,” Bhat said. “People have been much more receptive to it lately.”

Focusing on health(continued from page 1)

Don’t forget your sunglasses

Dr. Bhat noted that one of the misconceptions regarding visual health is that children are not susceptible to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. “UV

protection is necessary for all ages,” Bhat said. “people look at children and say, ‘Why does he need sunglasses, he’s just a kid?’ Kids don’t have the

necessary proteins in their eyes to block out UV rays, so they need sunglasses.”


Dr. Bhat can tell by viewing a patient’s capil-laries whether they are at risk for diabetes or other illness.Image provided by Austin Village Eyecare

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January 29 - February 14


News

One reader contacted Union County Weekly with a concern about a new Wal-mart Neighborhood Market in Waxhaw, which was covered in last week’s issue. If you have story ideas or concerns you would like our staff to look into, email [email protected].

Dear Editor,

I was so looking forward to the new Walmart (Neighborhood Market in Waxhaw) as their prices can't be beat. I had to drive 10 miles to the Walmart on (U.S.) 521, so this new one a few blocks from my subdivision was great news.

That being said, I will probably be driving the 10 miles again, or perhaps not because I am very angry at Walmart now. My husband and I went there last week to purchase a box of Mat-zho along with other items. To my horror, this new store, a "Neighbor-hood Grocery Store," has no kosher section. Not even a lit-tle bitty one. I asked (a) man-ager, who was not (General Manager) Ms. Stickle, and he said that they probably didn't think of hav-ing one, which to me is more insulting than not having one altogether. I then

called the main offices of Walmart to complain, and they said someone will get right back to me. I am still waiting.

There are many Jewish families in the area and many non-Jewish people who enjoy this type of food, so I don't understand the snub we got when they planned this store. All the other Wal-marts I have shopped in have a kosher section.

I might be boycotting this Walmart and all others until management calls me to confirm they established a kosher section in Waxhaw.

Thank you,

Sherry Reiver

Editor’s Note: When contacted regarding this let-

ter, Anna Stickle, general manager of the Walmart Neighborhood Market in Waxhaw, said she had been made aware that at least one customer had requested a kosher sec-tion in the Waxhaw loca-tion.

Stickle said she is currently in talks with the Walmart home office about what that section would consist of and is look-ing into how to create space for such a sec-tion within the store.

“We are actively look-

ing into what needs to be done to bring a kosher section to our store,” Stickle said.

Union County WeeklyLetters to the Editor

Is it Kosher?

Kosher foods, which must meet a number of dietary and processing

rules to comply with traditional Jewish law, have grown in

popularity with non-Jewish people over the past decade due to their

believed health benefits.


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Indian Trail named one of the most affordable housing markets in the state

INDIAN TRAIL – Financial website SmartAsset has named Indian Trail the ninth most affordable housing market in North Carolina in an annual ranking they release of towns with more than 5,000 residents in each state.

The rankings are based on closing costs, real estate taxes, homeowners’ insurance and mortgage rates. The most affordable cities had total housing costs on an average house accounting for the smallest proportion of the median income, according to a news release.

According to SmartAsset, the average annual mortgage payment in Indian Trail is $8,772. The average closing cost for a home in the town is $2,645, and the average prop-erty tax is $1,420.

Indian Trail ranked 911th most affordable housing market in the country.

Stevens Mill Road set to reopen in February

STALLINGS – At the Stallings Town Council meeting on Jan. 26, Town Manager Kevin Woods announced that the bridge over North Fork Crooked Creek Tributary on Ste-vens Mill Road is set to reopen on Wednesday, Feb. 4.

The announcement was met with a small round of applause from town officials and res-idents in attendance. However, Woods stated that he was simply relaying a message from North Carolina Department of Transporta-tion (NCDOT) and could not vouch for its accuracy.

“We’ll see,” Woods added. Crews were originally scheduled to begin

work on the bridge on June 23, 2014, and

finish construction by Nov. 19, 2014, accord-ing to the NCDOT website. Construction was pushed back and did not begin until Sept. 8, 2014.

The bridge was constructed in 1958 and was classified as structurally deficient and functionally obsolete. This means it had remained safe for use, but was in deteriorating condition and needed to be replaced, accord-ing to the site. The bridge was also built to design standards that are no longer in use.

Because of the bridge’s condition, NCDOT had posted a weight limit restricting single-axle vehicles and trucks weighing more than 15 tons from using the bridge. The new bridge will meet current design standards and will not have posted weight limits.

Marvin recognizes park volunteers

MARVIN – At its Feb. 13 meeting, the Marvin Village Council recognized six resi-dents who have volunteered numerous hours of their time to help at Marvin Efird Park and around the town.

The volunteers recognized as Outstanding Park Volunteer were as follows: Andrew Holz, of Marvin Creek; Andy Wortman, of Waxhaw-Marvin Road; Tony Kulesza, of Waxhaw; Robert Epps, of Marvin Estates; Mary Sipe, of Oak Brook; and Neil Query, of Canterfield Creek.

Councilmember Lanny Openshaw called upon each volunteer in attendance and pre-sented him or her with a certificate of appre-ciation.

“The people we are recognizing tonight have literally helped to build our community,” Openshaw said. “We have many volunteers at the park. These six have gone well beyond the norm in giving of their efforts, time and often giving financially. They share at least one attri-bute: they work hard for the benefit of all. In total, the selfless efforts of these people have not only saved the village significant money but they have also contributed greatly to our largest community asset, while adding to our

sense of community. The rave reviews we receive about the park are due in large part to their efforts. I thank each of you very much.”

Union County Captain receives statewide Officer of the Year award

MONROE – On Monday, Jan. 26, the Union County Sheriff’s Office (UCSO) announced that the North Carolina CIT Con-ference Planning Committee had selected Capt. Jeff Outen as the North Carolina Out-standing Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Offi-cer of the Year.

Outen will be recognized at North Caro-lina’s CIT Conference in Raleigh on Feb. 10, a Tuesday.

CIT programs are police-based jail diver-sion programs that aim to prevent the arrest and incarceration of persons with mental ill-ness, developmental disabilities or substance abuse problems for minor crimes. The pro-grams instead attempt to divert these people to treatment, when doing so can be done with little risk to public safety, according to a news release.

Law enforcement agencies with CIT pro-grams recruit officers with natural skills and abilities in helping people in crisis and pro-vide them with 40 hours of training designed to build upon their strengths in dealing with people in crisis. These agencies then establish policies and procedures to ensure these offi-cers are dispatched to calls involving a “mental disturbance,” according to the release.

The UCSO has the highest ratio of CIT-certified officers per capita of any law enforce-ment agency in North Carolina, according to the release.

In the release, Union County Sheriff Ed Cathey congratulated Outen and commented on what the announcement meant for the UCSO.

“This is a tremendous honor for our agency,” Cathey said. “I congratulate Capt. Outen on this accomplishment, as well as all CIT-certified officers.”

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Union County Weekly

Crime Blotter

News

The following people were arrested in western Union County between Jan. 22 and 28, according to the Union County Sheriff ’s Office.

Hemby Bridge

• Kenneth Johnston, 7600 block of Secrest Shortcut Road: Driving while impaired. Jan. 23

• William Liles, 8300 block of Idlewild Road: Assault on a female. Jan. 23

Indian Trail

• Debra Jewell, 200 block of Aylesbury Lane: Failure to appear. Jan. 22

• Ralph Thomas, 1000 block of Emerson Lane: Possession of stolen goods. Jan. 22

• Terry Staton, 200 block of Stratford Drive: Reckless driving to endanger the pub-lic. Jan. 22

• Shane Jenkins, 13700 block of East Independence Boulevard: Driving while impaired. Jan. 23

• Christopher Cook, 13700 block of East Independence Boulevard: Driving while impaired. Jan. 23

• Chrissy Blount, 2100 block of Younts Road: Shoplifting. Jan. 23

• Javarus Pickett, 5200 block of Rogers Road: Possession of marijuana.

• Dominica McGoldrick, 5200 block of Rogers Road: Possession of a schedule VI controlled substance. Jan. 24

• Jason Konifka, 3700 block of Wexford Place: Statutory rape / sex offense against defendant older than 6 years old. Jan. 25

• Joseph White, 2100 block of Younts Road: Misdemeanor larceny. Jan. 25

• Jaron Groomes, 800 block of East Highway 218: Misdemeanor larceny. Jan. 25

• Timothy Harris, 4200 block of Swan Sea Court: Assault on a female. Jan. 26

• Adam Bartley, 3000 block of Sunlight Path Drive: True bill of indictment for sec-ond-degree kidnapping and assault. Jan. 26

• Charles Ottaway, 2100 block of Younts Road: Shoplifting. Jan. 26

• Arkeita Everett, 3800 block of High-way 74: Driving while license revoked. Jan. 26

• Samira Alhaliq, 9400 block of Indian Trail Fairview Road: Failure to appear. Jan. 27

• Michael Harrelson, 6000 block of White Cliffs Drive: Failure to appear. Jan. 27

• Carolyn Skinner, 300 block of Union-ville Indian Trail Road: Simple assault. Jan. 28

• Jeremy Mullis, 1500 block of Waxhaw Indian Trail Road: Failure to appear. Jan. 28

Stallings

• Brett Milleman, 12900 block of East Independence Boulevard: Misdemeanor pos-session of marijuana. Jan. 22

• Anthony Swett, 1100 block of Lake-wood Drive: Assault on a female. Jan. 25

• Edwin Starnes, 2700 block of Old Monroe Road: Assault on a female. Jan. 26

Waxhaw

• Antoine Daye, 2000 block of Hamil Ridge Drive: Failure to appear. Jan. 22

• Byron Perry, 600 block of Howie Mine Road: Assault and battery. Jan. 22

• Conner Fanning, 4500 block of Sand-tyn Drive: Possession of methamphetamine. Jan. 22

• Shaina Johnson, 4300 block of Tory Path Road: Injury to real property. Jan. 23

• Benjamin Ray, 9300 block of New Town Road: Driving while impaired. Jan. 24

• William Montague, 10100 block of Waxhaw High-way: Court order for criminal arrest. Jan. 25

• Samuel Collins, 5000 block of Old Highway Road: Larceny by anti-inventory device. Jan. 27

• Wendy Pat-terson, 10100 block of Tim-berhitch Drive: Violation of court order. Jan. 27

• Joseph Metro, 1400 block of Churchill Downs Drive: Driving while impaired. Jan. 27

Weddington

• Christina Culp, 2900 block of Michelle Drive: Possession of drug parapher-nalia. Jan. 22

The following crimes were committed in western Union County between Jan. 22 and 28, according to the Union County Sheriff ’s Office.

Indian Trail

Vehicle Break-ins

• 4000 block of Meriweather Lewis Trail: $35 wallet holding $10 cash, credit cards, Social Security card and identification stolen from vehicle during break-in. Jan. 24

• 3000 block of Kansas City Drive: $150 GPS device stolen from vehicle during rash of break-ins. Nothing listed as stolen from three other vehicles that were broken into. Jan. 24

• 5100 block of Spring Meadow Lane:

$300 handgun stolen from Ram Truck and $20,000 damage done to Honda Pilot during break-ins. Jan. 25

• 4900 block of Spring Meadow Lane: Nothing listed as stolen from Ford Explorer during break-in. Jan. 25

• 4900 block of Hunters Knoll Drive: Six cars broken into in rash of break-ins. Noth-ing listed as stolen. Jan. 25

• 1000 block of Salmon River Drive: Nothing listed as stolen from Subaru Impr-eza during break-in. Jan. 25

• 1000 block of Astoria Drive: Nothing listed as stolen from four vehicles during break-ins. Jan. 25

• 4900 block of Morning Dew Lane: $20 cellphone charger and $20 CD stolen from Chevrolet Volt during break-in. Jan. 25

• 1000 block of Fort Manden Court: $70 digital camera stolen from Honda Accord during break-in. Jan. 25

• 2000 block of Kansas City Drive: Nothing listed as stolen from Jeep Grand Cherokee during break-in. Jan. 25

• 3000 block of Kansas City Drive: $20 cash and $5 pack of cigarettes stolen from two vehicles during break-ins. Jan. 25

Property Theft

• 600 block of Chestnut Lane: Unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Jan. 23

• Walmart, 2101 Younts Road: $153 worth of miscel-laneous mer-

chandise stolen from business. Jan. 23• Walmart, 2101 Younts Road: $112 worth

of clothing and a $825 chainsaw stolen from business. Jan. 23

• Marathon gas station, 5701 W. Highway 74: $20 worth of scratch-off lottery tickets stolen from business. Jan. 25

• Walmart, 2101 Younts Road: $42.50 worth of men’s clothes stolen from business. Jan. 25

• Circle K, 1071 Chestnut Lane: $38 worth of beer stolen from business. Jan. 25

• Walmart, 2101 Younts Road: $76 worth of miscellaneous merchandise stolen from business. Jan. 26

• Walmart, 2101 Younts Road: $100 worth of bed sheets and a $169 blender stolen from business. Jan. 27

Vandalism/Hit-and-run

• 5900 block of West Highway 74: Dam-age done to Toyota Yaris in hit-and-run. Jan. 26

• 3900 block of Planters Place: $50 dam-age done to Ford Mustang during vandalism incident. Jan. 26

• 4000 block of Guardian Angel Avenue: $200 damage done to Ford Ranger during vandalism incident. Jan. 27

Financial Crimes/Fraud

• 100 block of Lauren Drive: $1,530 lost to a swindling scheme. Jan. 22

• 2800 block of Gray Fox Road: $411 lost to a swindling scheme. Jan. 22

Miscellaneous

• 7800 block of Idlewild Road: Felony pos-session of heroin. Jan. 23

• 5200 block of Rogers Road: Possession of a schedule VI controlled substance. Jan. 24

• 4900 block of West Highway 74: Carry-ing a concealed gun. Jan. 28

Stallings

Animal Calls

• 4000 block of Campus Ridge Road: Dog bites and attacks. Jan. 25

Waxhaw

Home/Business Break-ins

• 400 block of Creeping Cedar Court: Nothing listed as stolen during home break-in. Jan. 25

• 7900 block of Skye Knoll Drive: Nothing listed as stolen during home break-in. Jan. 25


• 8800 block of Maggie Robinson Road: $100 damage done to living rooster in van-dalism incident. Jan. 22

• 4300 block of Tory Path Road: $30 dam-age done to home window in vandalism inci-dent. Jan. 22

Miscellaneous

• 7700 block of Jaars Road: Animal aban-donment. Jan. 26

Weddington


• 900 block of Lingfield Lane: $500 dam-age done to entrance gate. Jan. 22

Miscellaneous

• Weddington Middle School, 4901 Wed-dington Road: Possession of a weapon on school ground. Jan. 22


The link between ADHD and crime

In a study published by the New england Journal of Medicine, it was found that individuals with aDHD

were far less likely to committ crimes when on medication. Of 8,000 of the participants whose medication

use varied over a three-year period, 32 percent of men and 41 percent

of women were far less likely to have criminal convictions while on aDHD medication. The three primary signs

of attention deficit disorder in children are innatention, hyperactivity and im-pulsivity. adults with aDD/aDHD are more likely to show symptoms such as hyperfocusing, disorganization, restlessness or emotional difficulties.


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The Union County Health Department inspected the following dining locations from Jan. 14 to 27.

Lowest Scores:• Crossroad Grill, 315 N. Broome St., 28173 – 92.5 Violations included: No certified food manager on duty; chicken wings in hot hold display cased at improper temperature; chili store-in reach-in refrigerator with a date mark of Jan. 13; hot dogs in container stored in reach-in refrigerator without date mark; open container of bologna in walk-in cooler without date mark; frozen chicken stored out on drain board at three-compartment sink; cup used to scoop rice; rice cooker labeled for household use; general cleaning needed; and cot with blankets and pillows beside three-com-partment sink.

All Scores:

28173• Crossroad Grill, 315 N. Broome St. – 92.5 • Moe’s Southwest Grill, 8133 Kensington Drive – 97 • Waxhaw Rock Store BBQ, 2538-B Cuthb-ertson Road – 96.5

28104• Chick-fil-A, 6390 Weddington Road – 98.5

• McDonald’s, 5925 Weddington Road – 95.5

28079• Athenian Grill, 614 S. Indian Trail Road – 99.5 • Great China, 610 S. Indian Trail Road – 95

28110• Hot Subs and Pizza, 2115-106 W. Roosevelt Blvd. – 96.5 • Koumi Express, 2259 W. Roosevelt Blvd. – 98• Taco Bell, 2104 W. Roosevelt Blvd. – 99 • Taqueria El Paraiso, 1709 Walk-up Ave. – 97

28112No restaurants inspected this week.

About the grades…Restaurants are given grades of A for scoring at least 90, B for 80 to 89 and C for 70 to 79.

Union County Weekly

Restaurant ScoresHealtH & Wellness tip #5

Out of sight, out of mindHave trouble with portion control when eating out at

restaurants? Ask for a takeout box when your food is served rather than at the end of the meal, so that you

can set aside half of the meal to avoid overeating.

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Union Academy Charter School is currently accepting teaching and staff applications for immediate openings as well as for the 2015-2016 school year. We are looking for talented, professional, enthusiastic teachers, administrators and non-teaching employees who want to be a part of our “educational team” and work in a collaborative, innovative, supportive, safe and caring environment.

We welcome your interest and application/resume even if we do not have a position available at this time that matches your specific interest. We will keep your application in an active file should a position become available.

To see our openings and to submit an application and resume, please go to www.unionacademy.org and click on Contact Us.

“Simply stated, Union Academy is an educator’s dream place to work! Passionate educators are encouraged and allowed to be creative and innovative in all practices. The school educates about 1,412 students in grades K-12 and is located on two campuses. Its small environment allows every employee to feel as if he/she plays an important and personal role in every child’s education. The three guiding principles – challenge, character, and community – are practiced all day, every day at UA. It is a positive, comfortable and fulfilling place to work.”

Jim Zorn, UA High School Principal

“Following my retirement from a 33-year career with traditional public schools, I recently began working with Union Academy (UA), the only public charter school in Union County. What a great place to work! I was very surprised to learn that UA was not a part of the state retirement system and that I could actually participate in a new retirement plan while drawing full benefits from my earned state retirement plan. There were no earnings limitations or restrictions and there was no required “sit out” period from the date of my retirement until rehire!”

Luan Ingram, UA Communications Director

“I attended Union Academy from grades 8-12. As a student, I loved the school and the teachers so much that I decided early on that I wanted to become a teacher so that I could someday teach

at UA. And here I am today teaching 7th grade English at my alma mater. It is so wonderful to rejoin my school family. I feel like I’m home and I love it!

Christine Hargett, UA 7th grade teacher

Union Academy Charter School | 675 North Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. | Monroe, NC 28110 704-238-8883

In compliance with federal law, UA administers all educational programs, employment activities and admissions without discrimination against any person on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, national origin, age or disability.


Newsfriends to be with them during their proce-dure and recovery.”

The full department transformation began in November 2013. The Cardio Center’s labs were upgraded, as well as the patient

pre- and post-areas, which were improved to give a fresh, bright appearance to the department. The staff also was fully trained and cross-trained with state of the art equip-ment.

most days of the week. exercise helps reduce and maintain weight. It also helps maintain healthy

blood pressure and reduces stress, which can have a harmful effect on the heart.

• Stop smoking: Smoking is one of the main causes of coronary heart disease. The chemicals

in tobacco harm your blood cells and have a negative effect on the function of your heart and

blood vessels.

• Get regular checkups: It’s important to see a doctor on a regular basis to ensure good health. a health screening includes checks of blood pressure

and cholesterol levels.

• Manage stress levels: People who are the most stressed are more likely to have a heart attack.

When feeling pressured, clear the mind with a walk. exercise is a proven stress reliever. It

will help put ideas in order and reduce tension. Managing high stress levels is the best way to

keep the heart thumping right.

• Get plenty of sleep: Getting a good night’s sleep sets you up for a low-stress day.

• Reduce alcohol: Drinking too much alcohol can damage the heart muscle. It also increases the

blood pressure and leads to weight gain.

medical services convenient for patients from Monroe and surrounding areas. Patients are now able to have cardiac and vascular pro-cedures performed in Union County, receiv-ing quality, life-saving care while remaining close to home, Lilly said.

The Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute, a part of Carolinas Healthcare System, founded more than 50 years ago, includes nearly 100 physicians and 25 care centers providing the region’s most comprehensive and experienced cardiovascular care, accord-ing to hospital staff.

“Patients benefit from a culture of col-laboration that ensures a superior patient experience and access to the most advanced care in the region,” Lilly said.

The Interventional Radiology and Vascu-lar Suite is part of an upgraded Cardiovas-cular Center completed less than a year ago.

The hospital now offers urgent and elective percutaneous coronary intervention, com-monly known as angioplasty. Doctors are able to diagnose and repair blocked arteries in patients’ hearts, according to CMC-Union officials.

The renovation includes a new patient and family waiting area, patient recovery unit and an upgraded interventional radi-ology and vascular suite. A Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) program also launched in April. The PCI program diagno-ses and repairs blocked arteries in the heart. Prior to the launch of this program, CMC-Union only performed diagnostic heart pro-cedures and if a patient needed a coronary intervention patients often had to travel to Charlotte for treatment.

“CMC-Union can now perform almost any procedure that our patients may need right here in Monroe,” Lilly said. “Keep-ing patients close to home makes for a bet-ter experience and allows their family and

CMC-Union(continued from page 1)

HealtH & Wellness tips #6 – #12

Heart-Healthy LivingCardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death in America, claiming nearly a million lives each year. There are factors that influence heart disease a person can’t change such as heredity or age, but by living a healthy lifestyle a person can take control. With February being National Heart Month, doctors at CMC-Union are offering heart healthy tips to help residents reduce the risk of developing heart disease

or prevent further complications.Dr. Kushal Handa, a physician at Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute-Monroe, suggests readers follow

these steps towards a heart-healthier life:

• Heart-Healthy Eating: What someone eats has a big effect on their heart. eating heart-healthy foods can help control high blood pressure, high

cholesterol and excess body weight — all risks for heart disease. stick to a well-balanced diet that is

low in fat and high in fruit and vegetables.

• Get Moving: It’s important to keep a healthy body weight and exercise regularly. Being

physically active can help control heart disease and reduce the risk of a heart attack. Try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity

Photo courtesy of CMC-Union


News

WESLEY CHAPEL – Several landown-ers who wish to de-annex their respective properties from the village of Wesley Cha-pel addressed the village council at a special meeting on Monday, Jan. 26.

Seven of the 12 landowners who recently submitted a petition of de-annexation to state legislators spoke to council about their concerns, most of which were based on dif-ficulty they’ve had selling their properties in rural parts of the village.

The petitioners believe developers have shied away from dealing with Wesley Cha-pel due to a land use strategy that restricts dense land uses and a planning board that they claim purposefully delays and obstructs developers until they withdraw proposals.

Councilmembers defended the land use plan, which was developed 17 years ago and is based around a maximum one-lot-per-one-acre residential land use rule that applies to much of the rural parts of the vil-lage.

Before hearing from the petitioners, Mayor Brad Horvath emphasized the only purpose of the special meeting would be to hear the reasons the petition was submitted and to consider the concerns of the peti-tioners.

“Today is our effort, requested by (N.C. Sen.) Tommy Tucker and (N.C. Rep.) Craig Horn, to understand the reasons the group is requesting to de-annex and whether there is any action to be taken to make them reconsider,” Horvath said.

A de-annexation cannot be carried out by or stopped by the village. That action would be in the hands of the state legisla-ture, which often votes in favor of any deci-sion made by local representatives – Horn, Tucker, N.C. Rep. Mark Brody and N.C. Rep. Dean Arp, in this case.

The seven petitioners who addressed the council on Monday spoke of efforts, some-times lasting longer than a decade, to sell their land to different developers. Almost all of these efforts, they said, were shut down when developers approached the plan-ning board with proposals for rezoning the respective properties to be allowed to build there.

Susan Winchell, who put her New Town Road property on the market 13 years ago, spoke of proposals from developers to place a Food Lion, a library and community lots on their land. Each time, she said, the deal was canceled after developers were stymied by the planning board before their plans ever reached council.

Winchell, like other petitioners in atten-dance, said some deals don’t even make it that far because of the planning board’s reputation.

“Many developers just walk away and shake their head when they realize we are located in Wesley Chapel,” Winchell said.

“Other developers get humiliated and prac-tically driven out of town when they move forward.”

Councilmembers disagreed that their reputation with developers is tarnished. They pointed out that four neighborhoods are currently in development in the village. Multiple councilmembers asked why none of the petitioners had addressed the council about their concerns at one of their monthly meetings, which give residents a chance to speak to the council about any issues.

“(The) Planning and Zoning (depart-ment) works for us, and if you feel like you haven’t been given a fair deal, you can always come to us,” Mayor Pro Tem Mike Como said.

Robert Thurbon, who owns three proper-ties totaling 23 acres on Cuthbertson Road, said when he first decided to put his land on the market, he was told that developers “won’t touch anything in Wesley Chapel,” so he attended a planning board meeting.

He said he witnessed members asking and re-asking the same questions, and left with the feeling that nothing could be accomplished in such an atmosphere. He now believes he and other landowners are being made to pay for the village’s wish to remain a farming community.

“Everything gets tabled. It’s another 30 days, and then another 30 days,” Thurbon said. “People putting money up (for devel-opments) don’t want to keep their money tied up like that. It’s selfish to make us pay the price for the atmosphere they want to keep.”

Como scoffed at the idea that developers won’t deal with Wesley Chapel.

“We have developments going in left and right,” Como said, before holding the land use plan up for the crowd to see. “This book is to protect the citizens of Wesley Chapel. This is our rulebook. We don’t have the abil-ity to say, ‘I like this person, so we’re going to change the rules.’ We have to have a good reason to change this.”

After the meeting, petitioners said they felt no better about the possibility of a com-promise and would move forward with their attempts to de-annex.

“I was glad to be given the opportunity to vent, but I felt like that’s all it was,” Thurbon said. “I intend to move forward. I would love to hear something to change my mind.”

Horvath said the issue will be on the agenda for the council’s February meet-ing. He said he received multiple emails during the special meeting from residents concerned that they couldn’t attend the 2 p.m. special meeting to speak out against any change to the land use plan.

The Wesley Chapel Village Council will meet next on Feb. 9, a Monday, at 7 p.m. Residents will be allowed to sign up to address council for a maximum of three minutes.

Group of Wesley Chapel residents petition to secede from village


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Education

UCPS workshop fosters early childhood, elementary school learning program

by Courtney [email protected]

More than 100 Union County Public Schools faculty members attended a workshop on Jan. 20 to help create a better sense of community in the classroom and teach chil-dren self-regulation.

About 110 teachers, adminis-trators and support staff attended the “Conscious Discipline” work-shop, facilitated by Kim Hughes, Conscious Connections founder and education consultant.

The workshop served as a col-laborative effort between North Carolina Pre-K, UCPS Excep-tional Children Pre-K and the UCPS Title I program to take an in-depth look into a research-based classroom management system for early childhood and elementary schools, according to a news release.

“Conscious Discipline is a researched-based classroom man-agement program that teaches teachers to respond beforehand, rather than react,” Hughes said, describing the program as an “adult-first” style.

“Some of the strategies (Hughes) worked with a lot was building community in the classroom,” said Lisa Gibson,

UCPS director of academically and intellectually gifted and federal programs.

“Teachers were actively engaged in learning ‘Brain Smart’ strategies that promote the power of perception and self-composure,” Gibson said in a news release.

Hughes talked with faculty about how to approach a situ-ation with a positive perspective through adult behavior and

communication.“When you’re in a workshop,

it’s easy to maintain composure. However, when you’re in the heat of it, it’s harder to maintain that composure,” Hughes said. “As an adult, our behavior and decisions are going to teach our kids what to do in the same situation.”

Gibson said they worked on physical movements that can help young children calm down and use physical activities to coincide with positive affirmations.

Teachers learned visual and physical techniques that can help reach younger audiences better during the workshop.

“Movement helps facilitate get-ting the blood and oxygen going, which helps the brain focus,”

Gibson.Hughes also taught UCPS faculty to use visual and physi-

cal cues to accompany their auditory directions to help with

clarification. Gibson felt the workshop also was a collaborative effort to

help reach at-risk populations because the socioeconomic and language barriers might not prepare these students to enter school with all the necessary skills.

“The research shows this group of students don’t come to school prepared with the self-regulation skills that they need to have to be successful in school,” Gibson said. “If we want kids to grow academically and be successful, we have to foster this basic self-regulation need.”

Gibson said she agrees with the researcher who developed Conscious Discipline, Dr. Becky Bailey’s philosophy: “Disci-pline isn’t something you do to children, it’s something you develop within them.”

She said self-regulation reminds her of a whack-a-mole arcade game, where a teacher regulates students’ behaviors as they misbehave. She feels teachers should be proactive and alter behavior before students misbehave and teach those skills early.

Gibson said Pre-K children receive most of their learn-ing during play center times, so they experience delayed gratification. This can be a starting point for preschoolers

(see Conscious Discipline on page 14)

Teachers work together in a Conscious Discipline workshop. Photo courtesy of UCPS


Managing children’s behavior

Keep in mind that sometimes, stress can cause kids – even very young children – to act out. Stress can be

caused by many different factors. It could be something as simple as the child feeling he or she is not receiving enough attention from his or her parents – who might

themselves be stressed out from work or other life issues. In addition to spending quality time with their children, parents can ensure their young ones are getting enough rest and nutrition so that they have the energy to cope

with their feelings more effectively. Teaching children self-regulation will help them to learn anger management, as

well as develop empathy for others.

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Union Academy Charter School

Union County’s only tuition-free Charter School is now accepting

admission applications for the 2015-2016 academic year. Admission is determined by a random lottery

drawing.

The online application period runs January 15 through March 2, 2015.

Go to www.unionacademy.org for online applications and information.

Lottery DaySunday, March 8, 2015

3:00pmUnion Academy Upper School Campus Gym675 North MLK, Jr. Blvd Monroe, NC 28110

Education

INDIAN TRAIL – Student performers from Porter Ridge Middle School will set the stage ablaze with colors, song and whimsy this week-end as they present their stage production of “Seussical Jr.”

The community performance is slated for Friday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of the nearby Porter Ridge High School, located at 2839 Ridge Road. Tickets cost $5 for adults and $3 for students and can be purchased at the door.

Porter Ridge Middle students have partici-pated in musical productions before, but this is the first show they’ve done on such a large scale, said Porter Ridge Middle music teacher Bridget Burrows.

“This is the first one that’s a big deal, that they’re doing in a real auditorium, where we’re selling tickets and there’s choreogra-phy,” Burrows said.

Burrows came to Porter Ridge Middle from Porter Ridge Ele-mentary at the begin-ning of the 2014-15 school year. During her time at the ele-mentary school, Bur-rows directed a num-ber of annual stage productions including “The Jungle Book KIDS,” “101 Dalmatians KIDS” and “Aladdin Jr.” So, when she arrived at Porter Ridge Middle, Burrows knew it was something she wanted to bring to the school.

“It’s been really fun,” Burrows said. “(Middle school students) can do a lot more to use their own creativity … (they can) do more choreog-raphy and stuff. This is truly their production.”

Burrows chose “Seussical Jr.” because it was a production that featured a lot of characters the students grew up with. The musical incor-porates a variety of stories and characters from popular Dr. Seuss books, including Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat and more.

“I loved the literacy aspect of it,” she said. “Dr. Seuss is so fantastic and wonderful, and the music is absolutely fantastic – it tells Dr. Seuss’s story in one hour-long show.”

A cast of about 30 students will take the stage for the production. The set – half jungle, half Whoville – was designed by Porter Ridge

Middle drama teacher Robert Gwinn, and stu-dents and their “awesome” parents pitched in to help purchase and design colorful costumes. The school also received a grant from the Union County Education Foundation, which helped pay for the lumber used in the set, and the production also will feature “tons of fun hair and makeup,” Burrows said.

Caitlyn Brown, an eighth-grade student at Porter Ridge Middle, will play the role of Ger-trude McFuzz, a bird who is in love with Hor-ton the Elephant and develops, quite literally, a “colorful” way to make him notice her.

“My favorite thing out of all of it is probably how (the characters) are, like, running all over the place, and my character, of course, doesn’t get noticed,” the 14-year-old performer said. “So, the whole time, she’s singing and trying

so hard to get him to notice her.”

Eighth-grader Holly Dellinger will take on the role of the Cat in the Hat, who narrates the story of “Seussi-cal.” Holly, 14 years old, said she loves the production because it brings to life some of the characters she grew up with.

“I love the char-acters,” Holly said. “… It’s so much fun to embody them and get to know who they are and try to be like

them. I read a lot of Seuss growing up, so I fell in love with the characters, and now I get the honor of being one.”

Burrows said the most challenging aspect of “Seussical” has revolved around the amount of music in the show. The 150-page script is made up of about 145 pages of music, with only about five pages of dialogue, she said.

“That’s really hard – it’s more music than I’ve ever taught in a musical,” Burrows said. “It’s a lot for the kids, too. They had no idea before they started it.”

However, the students have risen to the occasion, Burrows said, and she’s enjoyed see-ing the young performers – many of whom she taught at the elementary school – flourish.

“Having known some of these kids for seven years, it’s kind of cool to see them grow, to see what kind of person they’re becoming,” she said. “I love watching them follow through with what they love and not be afraid to put it out there.”

The whimsical world of Dr. SeussMiddle school students to take the stage for ‘Seussical Jr.’ this weekend

by Josh [email protected]

Student performers from Porter Ridge Middle rehearsing “Seussical, Jr.” Josh Whitener/UCW photo


The health benefits of performing arts

Researchers at the Harvard graduate School of education found

students involved in the arts do better in school and have less stress than their peers who aren’t involved in any arts programs.While sports

have obvious health benefits for your child, don’t discount the positive

impact involvement in theater and other visual and performing arts programs can have on a child’s

health and well-being.


Education

to develop self-regulating skills to help them learn at their seats, she said.

Hughes said it’s important to develop self-regulation and impulse control at an early age because the early years are when a child’s brain is developing the fastest.

Children sometimes enter Pre-K with lim-ited self-regulation skills, she added.

“When they have to sit for longer periods of time, they need to have the executive skills they need to be as successful as possible,” Hughes said.

Though Gibson said the Pre-K program in Union County provides positive results, the faculty needs to be proactive with those skills, particularly those coming from at-risk backgrounds.

“We’re fortunate to have the preschool programs that we do, but it doesn’t hit every-body,” she said.

“Conscious Discipline,” along with the phi-losophy of Social Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (SEFEL), have been imple-mented in all Pre-K classrooms district-wide this school year, the news release said.

The presenter addressed empowerment skills such as attention, acceptance and intention; discipline skills, such as compo-sure, empathy and consequences; and life skills, such as anger management, coopera-tion and problem solving, the release said.

Gibson feels the self-regulation skills also will help students build a community and relationships with each other. Kids will mon-itor each other and have empathy for one another, she added.

Gibson said UCPS Exceptional Children Pre-K and the UCPS Title I program will continue to research best tactics for early childhood and elementary schools.

Visit aig.ucps.k12.nc.us for more informa-tion about ways UCPS continues to reach its students.

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Union Academy senior receives appointment to U.S. Naval Academy

STALLINGS – A Union Academy Charter School senior recently received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy.

U.S. Rep. Robert Pittenger, who represents North Carolina’s Ninth Congressional District and much of western Union County, announced several appointments to Naval and Air Force acad-emies earlier this week, including Jordan Rushing, of Union Academy in Monroe.

Jordan is the son of Michael and Elizabeth Rushing and lives in Stallings. He told Pittenger he wants to help “lead the United States in the fight to establish freedom and human rights for all the people of the world,” according to a news release.

A total of nine students have already received U.S. Service Academy appointments for the 2015-16 school year, the release said, and Pit-tenger expects to appoint additional students this spring.

Sun Valley Elementary to host Global FestivalINDIAN TRAIL – Sun Valley Elementary

School will host its third annual Global Festival on Feb. 20, a Friday, to celebrate cultural diversity and benefit Bucks for Books.

The festival is slated for 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. On this day, the school will be decorated with student projects that cover different countries and conti-nents and celebrate cultural diversity. There also will be cultural entertainment, culture-themed games, raffle prizes and food vendors.

There is no admission charge, but donations are encouraged. People can purchase raffle tickets at a price of $5 for two tickets. Proceeds will go to Sun Valley Elementary’s Bucks for Books fundraiser, which aims to add more than 500 books to the school, according to a news release.

Sun Valley Elementary is located at 5200 Rog-ers Road.

Union Academy accepting applications for enrollment

MONROE – Union Academy Charter School is currently accepting applications for enroll-ment for the 2015-16 school year.

Enrollment at the school is based on a lottery system. The online application process will close at 9 a.m. on March 2, and the public lottery will be held on March 8, a Sunday, at 3 p.m.

Find more information and apply online at www.unionacademy.org.

Weddington High students to perform at Carnegie Hall

WEDDINGTON – Two Weddington High School students recently were chosen to per-form at the 2015 High School Honors Perfor-mance Series, held at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Keegan Wells, a senior, will perform as a sec-ond soprano with the honors choir in February. She has studied music for four years and is a member of the Weddington High School Cho-rale, Show Choir and Women’s Ensemble. She also participates in musical theater at Wedding-ton and is a member of the International Thes-pian Society.

“I am honored to participate in the 2015 Honors Performance Series because it gives me the opportunity to travel, experience and meet other students who enjoy singing as much as I do,” Keegan said in a news release.

Libby Gutt, also a senior, will perform as a first

alto with the honors choir in February. Libby has studied music for six years and is a member of the Weddington High School Chorus, where she has performed as a soloist, the release said.

The approximately 500 finalists in the pro-gram will come together for five days in Febru-ary to learn from conductor, Dr. Eph Ehly; work with other finalists; and experience New York City. Their Feb. 22 performance will be open to the public.

Find more information at www.honorsperformance.org/home-program or www.worldstrides.com.

Union County Weekly

Education News & Notes

Students will participate in Sun Valley Elementary’s annual Global Festival on Feb. 20. Photo courtesy of Kevin Vickers


Water – How much is enough?

While the amount adults need is generally around eight glasses a day, children need roughly five to eight cups of water daily. This amount will vary based on age,

size and activity level. a child “on the go” and involved in after-school

activities and sports will need to replenish more fluids than a child

with more sedentary habits.


Call (704) 849-2261 or e-mail [email protected]

April 24July 24Oct. 2

Health&Wellness2015

CONTENT FOCUSED ISSUES

Circulation: 25,000Readership: 54,675



As the largest newspaper group covering southern Mecklenburg and Union counties, there’s no better medium to get your message in front of our 120,000 verified and affluent readers than by advertising in 4 of our most popular issues of the year. Each of our 2015 Health & Wellness issues will be packed with hyper-local stories covering the latest trends in healthcare, powerful feature-stories of courageous battles and efforts of local organizations to raise awareness for the many great causes and needs in our community.


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Faith

salesperson as if they had never seen it before.

Why do I love that toy? It reminds me of the Bible passage, Lamentations 3:22-23, which says, “God’s mercies are new every morning.”

I don’t know about you, but I need a fresh start every day. I make too many mistakes. My sins are mostly sins of omission instead of sins of commission. By sins of omission, I mean things I should have said or should have done, yet didn’t. Sins of commission are things I did that I should not have done.

I struggle with things I should have said, situations I should have confronted, decisions I should have made. They get in the way of allowing God to do all He wants to do through me.

I have beaten myself up for situations I needed to address and didn’t. Then, I remember that toy and the Bible verse – “God’s mercies are new every morning.” I imagine my sins being written all over that “magic slate”. They glare at me and scream at me that I have failed, that I have come up short – and I have.

But, just like that toy where the plas-tic is lifted up and it’s perfectly clean as if nothing was ever written on it, God extends to me the same forgiveness. Rather than rub it in my face, He gives me tomorrow to do it all over again – but to do it right this time.

I’m grateful my daughter and her

boyfriend found it online. It’s one of those items that will be in my office. When people ask why that toy is sitting there, I’ll tell them the story of “starting over” each morning.

I’ll be back in two weeks. Until then, live well, my friend.

Rev. Tony Marciano is the Executive Director of the Charlotte Rescue Mission. He is available to speak to your group. Visit www.charlotterescuemission.org for more information.

Real Helpfor Real Living

I got the most amazing gift

REV. TONy MARCIANO

by Rev. Tony Marciano [email protected]

Growing up in the late 1950s and early 1960s, there were no video games.

I remember my sister had a game called “bop baseball.” It was a board about 2 feet wide and 4 feet long. It had something that resembled a hockey puck. You hit it with a lever, and wherever it landed, it showed whether you made it to first, second or third base, or hit a home run. There was no cord or batteries with it. If you gave it to a kid today, they would not know what to do with it.

There was one game my cousin Diane had (she had some cool toys). It was called a Magic Slate. Let me describe it.

It was on a cardboard board about 4 inches wide and 6 inches tall. There were two layers. The back layer had a black, gooey base. The top layer had a plastic, almost milky screen. The plastic lied on top of the black base, but wasn’t attached to it – that is until…

…You took the stylus and drew on the plastic top. You attached the area where you drew to the black base. You could draw whatever you wanted. If you made a mistake, you simply lifted up the plas-tic top, and it was erased as if you never drew on it – it was clean. You could do this as many times as you wanted or needed to. Each time, it gave you a brand new chance to “start over.”

Decades later, I walked into Toys R Us and tried to buy one. No one knew what I was talking about. Since it had no bat-teries or cord, nor did it connect to a TV wirelessly, no one had heard of it. I got a deer in the headlights look from the

HealtH & Wellness tip #16Are religious people happier?

a poll by Gallup in 2010 suggests that religous people in the U.S. report more life satisfaction than those in less reli-

gious countries like Denmark, Sweden and norway. What this suggests is that

rather than spirituality, it may be the strength of the religious community that offers the health benefits. Feeling down lately? Getting involved with your local church, synagogue or other religious

organization may give you the positive energy boost you need.


Faith

Union County Weeklyfaith & Religion

News & NotesMen of Indian Trail UMC to host fundraiser dinner

INDIAN TRAIL – The Method-ist Men’s group at Indian Trail United Methodist Church will host a Chicken & Dumpling Dinner on Saturday, Jan. 29, from 4 to 8 p.m.

The cost is $8 per plate, and dine-in and takeout options will be available. Proceeds from the dinner will support church ministries. Find more informa-tion at www.itumc.org.

Indian Trail UMC is located at 113 Indian Trail Road S.

Blood drive at Zion UMCMONROE – Zion United Method-

ist Church is teaming up with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive.

The drive will take place on Feb. 9, a Monday, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the church. Find more information and make an appointment to donate at www.redcrossblood.org.

Zion UMC is located at 1521 Old Fish Road.

Women’s Wednesday morning Bible study to begin Feb. 11

WESLEY CHAPEL – Siler Presby-terian Church will host a weekly Bible study for women on Wednesday morn-ings, beginning Feb. 11.

The study, “Invincible Love, Invisible War” by Big Dream Ministries, will be led by Sally Saggio. Email [email protected] for more information about the study or to obtain a workbook.

Find more information about Siler Presbyterian happenings at the church’s website, www.silerchurch.org. The church is located at 6301 Weddington-Monroe Road.

Youth and children’s programs kick off at Weddington UMC

WEDDINGTON – The Jesus & Me, or JAM, program at Weddington United Methodist Church kicked off earlier this month.

The program is open to children who turned 4 years old by Aug. 31, 2014, through current fifth-graders. JAM meets from 6 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday evenings, beginning with the “big blue bus” that transports children from the church’s family life center to the JAM program facilities at Weddington UMC.

Parents should sign in their children with the JAM leader prior to having their children board the bus. The hour-long session includes Bible exploration, games, prayer and fellowship, according

to the church newsletter.Weddington UMC also offers Sunday

and Wednesday evening programs for youth.

The Sunday evening youth program begins at 6:30 p.m. with a meal for $3. The church follows dinner with sepa-rate programs for junior and senior high school students, covering Biblical topics, games and more. The evening concludes with a worship time for both groups.

Weddington UMC also hosts youth Bible study sessions on Wednesday eve-nings from 7 to 8 p.m. in the church’s youth center. Find more information at www.weddingtonchurch.org, or call 704-846-1032.

Weddington UMC is located at 13901 Providence Road.

Men’s Fellowship Night, women’s ministry drive for Crisis Pregnancy Center

WAXHAW – Beginning next month, all men “ages 1 to 100” are invited to attend the monthly Men’s Fellowship Night at Waxhaw Baptist Church.

Men’s Fellowship Nights will be held on the first Tuesday of each month. The next session is slated for Tuesday, Feb. 3, at 7 p.m. at the Burger King in Waxhaw.

The church’s women’s ministry is col-lecting baby items for the H.E.L.P. Crisis Pregnancy Center of Union County.

Items currently being accepted include new and gently-used clothing for infants and children, through size 6; diapers and wipes; formula; baby food; baby lotions and soaps; bottles; and more. Call the church at 704-843-4822 for more infor-mation.

Learn more about these and other Waxhaw Baptist happenings at the church’s website, www.waxhawbaptist.org. The church is located at 8213 Old Waxhaw Monroe Road, and the Burger King of Waxhaw is located at 4005 Wax-haw Professional Park Drive.

Team Church hosting Zumba classes on Tuesdays and Saturdays

MATTHEWS – Team Church is hosting a 31:13 Motion ZUMBA/Refit program twice a week.

The Zumba-themed program is held on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. The next two sessions are scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 31, and Tuesday, Feb. 3.

Find more information at Team Church’s website, www.teamchurch.com, or call 704-469-5642. Team Church is located at 2301 Stevens Mill Road in Matthews, near Stallings.

Send faith news items to [email protected]. Announcements should be sent two weeks in advance.

Fitness in Focus

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PROVIDENCE

Call and schedule a tour today(704) 753-704511945 Providence Road, [email protected]

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Independent Living, Assisted Livingand Memory Care

Calendar

1.29.15Thursday

6:30 to 9 p.m.clay Workshop

Learn the basics of clay while creating a fabulous functional project that will be a reflection of your individual personality.

The $25 class cost includes instruction, tools, materials and firing fees. Call Karen at 704-998-1766 or email [email protected].

Indian Trail Cultural Arts Center, 100 Navajo Trail, Indian Trail

1.30.15Friday

9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.sun Valley elementary Blood Drive

Interested residents can call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to inquire about the availability of time slots. Walk-in appointments are

welcomed.

Sun Valley Elementary School, 5200 Rogers Road, Indian Trail

1.31.15Saturday8 a.m.

3rd annual Village 10k/5k Race

The race will benefit Alpha 1 Village, which exists to care for individuals afflicted with Alpha antitrypsin deficiency. The foundation works to

increase awareness of the disease in the medical and public domains, provide education counseling and physical support for patients and ultimately provide a village facility for the treatment and relief of A1

sufferers.

Marvin Ridge High School, 2825 Crane Road, Waxhaw

2.1.15Sunday

11 a.m. to 4 p.m.super Bowl sunday Boy scout

Barbecue

Boy Scout Troop 53 from Waxhaw is offering up barbecue leading up to the big game for its 9th annual Super Bowl Sunday Barbecue Fundraiser. Supporters can order a $9 plate or buy the meat for $10 a pound. Eat-in

or take-out will be available.

American Legion Hall, 801 East South Main St., Waxhaw

2.4.15Wednesday

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.community Blood Drive

As part of the Community Blood Center of the Carolinas’ (CBCC) sixth annual Pints for Pounds campaign, the organization will donate seven pounds of food to Second Harvest Food bank for every blood donation

made in January and February. Call 704-972-4700 or visit www.carolinadonor.org to make an appointment at any location. The CBCC’s

minimum weight requirement for blood donors is 120 pounds.

Carolinas Medical Center – Union, 600 Hospital Drive, Monroe

2.5.15Thursday

6 to 9 p.m.chocoholic Frolic

Events will include a raffle drawing and a silent auction. Samplings will include Carolina Cake Artistry, Diamond Springs, Neet’s Sweets, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Tastefully Simple, The Lil’ Bake Shoppe and Tupperware. Tickets are on sale for $25 in advance or $30 at the door. Visit www.

chocoholicfrolic.org for more information.

Swan Manor, 219 Ridge Road, Monroe

Fitness in Focus

CommunityHealth

CommunityHealth

Jan.29 Want to see your event covered in our community calendar? Send an email to [email protected] with all pertinent information. Be sure to include the date, time, cost to attend and a description of the

event. Please send events at least two weeks in advance for the best chance of being included in the calendar. Factors like relevance to the community and how close the event is to our coverage area will be considered.


Calendar

2.7.15Saturday6 p.m.

Valentine’s gala

Attendees will enjoy a concert from the Union Symphony Orchestra, dinner, dancing and an

auction. There will also be a performance by the Union County Youth Ballet.

Tickets start at $100. Visit www.unionsymphony.org to make a reservation.

Rolling Hills Country Club, 2722 W. Roosevelt Blvd., Monroe

2.7.15 and 2.8.15Saturday and Sunday10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Party store liquidation sale

Attendees will be given bags for $30 each and allowed to fill them to the brim with whatever they can find. Items for sale will include party

decorations for birthdays of all ages, team-building exercises and more. Funds raised will benefit the Nicholas Andrade Trust. Nicholas suffered spinal

cord trauma in a diving accident in 2012.

The Reserve Clubhouse, 10022 Royal Colony Drive, Waxhaw

2.14.15Saturday

9 a.m. to 12 p.m.tree seedling and Fruit

Plant sale

A variety of trees will be offered at the sale, including dogwoods, redbud, trident maples, European

hornbeam, American beech, river birch, tulip poplar and poplar cypress. Varieties of apples, peaches, blueberries, grapes and blackberries also will be offered, as well as beautyberry shrubs from the

Extension Master Gardeners of Union County teaching garden.

Union County Agricultural Center, 3230 Presson Road, Monroe

2.19.15 Thursday

7 to 9 p.m.Public safety seminar

Speakers, including Deputy Louie Rodriguez and Detective A.J. Mainero of the Union County Sheriff’s Office, will be discussing home security and other

personal safety. There will be a question-and-answer session following the presentation.

Siler Presbyterian Church, 6301 Weddington-

Monroe Road, Wesley Chapel

2.19.15Thursday6 p.m.

gift Making class

Turning Point Inc., Union County’s only domestic violence shelter and program, will hold a class in

which attendees can create their own jewelry holder using a picture frame and chicken wire. The class

costs $7 to attend and all materials will be included.

Home Décor, 2409 Old Charlotte Hwy., Monroe

2.21.15Saturday2 p.m.

turning Point Fashion show

Turning Point Inc., Union County’s only domestic violence shelter and program, will hold its first ever fashion show, created for all the “fashion divas on a budget,” according to a press release. Over 20 on-site vendors will include Black Market White House,

the Second Chance Boutique and Cuthbertson High School Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) Club. Tickets cost $5 in advance and $7 at

the door.

Cuthbertson High School auditorium, 1400 Cuthbertson Road, Waxhaw

HealtH & Wellness tip #17How many zzz’s do you need?

You’ve heard it a million times before – eight hours of sleep is

the ideal amount of snoozing for the average adult. But according to the national Sleep Foundation,

that number could be higher or lower depending on various lifestyle factors beyond just your age and gender. a low amount or quality of sleep can affect not only your productivity, but also

can impede weight loss and can put you at an increased risk for psychological issues and serious

health issues, such as diabetes and heart disease.

Call (704) 849-2261 or e-mail [email protected]

ISSUE DATES:• February 7 & 21• March 7 & 21• April 4 & 18




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Sports

Four years ago, former Gov. Bev Perdue signed the Gfeller-Waller Concussion Act into law, mak-ing North Carolina the 21st state with a concus-sion law. Since the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) has worked to improve coaches’, trainers’, athletes’ and parents’ awareness of concussions and their impact.

The bill was a long time coming as the num-ber of students involved in sports continued to increase annually, but came to fruition after the death of two high school students from concussion-related injuries. Jaquan Waller, a junior at Rose High School in Green-ville, died Aug. 24, 2008 from Second Impact Syndrome – a condition when two or more minor head injuries occur within a short time span. Matt Gfeller, a sophomore at Win-ston-Salem Reyn-olds High School, died the same month after a hit to the head in a game against Page High School in Greens-boro caused cranial bleeding.

The act, which was endorsed by every member of the North Carolina House and Senate, has three facets. It requires state pub-lic high schools and middle schools to remove athletes from play if a potential concussion exists and the athlete can-not return until cleared by a medical professional;

schools must formulate emergency action plans; and high school and middle school coaches, trainers, athletes and parents must receive proper education and information about concussions on an annual basis.

“So much of it is about education,” said Grady Hardeman, coordinator/athletic trainer at Caro-lina HealthCare Systems. “In any sport, you run the risk of concussions. I’ve seen them in swim-ming and I’ve seen them in cross-country. Even in your traditional non-contact sports, there is still a risk so a lot of education is involved.”

Union County Public Schools (UCPS) embarked on a seven-year partner-ship with Novant Health in 2010; the partnership placed a certified athletic trainer at each of the district’s 10 high schools to limit the amount of head-trauma injuries and provide on-site sup-port at practices and games.

The trainers are trained in recogniz-ing potential con-cussions. Union County was one of the first counties in the state to embark on a school-wide trainer policy.

“Each high school has a certi-fied trainer that goes to the school and they’re there about every day and for all practices,” said Doug Jones, director of athletics for UCPS. “They

put in a lot of hours and it’s been a great partner-ship for us. This is my sixth year as director and one of the first things I said we needed to do was

keep our kids safe.”Concussions range from mild to severe and are

often caused by a bump or blow to the head dur-ing a game or practice. Athletes often associate concussions with being knocked out but only one in 10 athletes lose consciousness due to a con-cussion, according to Dr. Eric Warren, medical director of Sports Medicine with Novant.

Symptoms include nausea, dizziness, double vision, headache, concentration or memory prob-lems and general confusion.

In order to more accurately diagnose concus-sions, UCPS and Novant Health give all middle and high school athletes access to a baseline neu-rocognitive test before the season’s first practice, conducted by licensed trainers. If a concussion is suspected, the baseline report is used as a com-parison to a repeat test. The test measures cog-nitive functions such as attention span, working memory, non-verbal problem solving and reaction time, among others.

“The response has been extremely positive,” Jones said. “I would say about 99 percent, if not 100 percent, complete the testing. Coaches have been really responsive.”

Even before Gfeller-Wallers regulations and the introduction of neurocognitive testing, North Carolina and UCPS had measures in place to prevent or limit concussion injuries. The NCH-SAA requires athletes and parents to sign a “Return to Play” form verifying they received con-cussion information. Athletes with concussion symptoms cannot return to play until cleared by a physician.

“In the last several years, there’s been a fun-damental shift in thinking,” said Rick Strunk, spokesperson for the NCHSAA. “There’s a much greater awareness on behalf of schools and coaches of the seriousness of concussions, the symptoms and making sure kids don’t return to the court or field too soon.”

UCPS also conducts an annual symposium at the start of the school year that’s mandatory for coaches to attend. The symposium, presented in part by Dr. Warren, discusses topics such as con-cussions, first aid and dehydration.

Though Jones has UCPS taking big strides in the right direction, there are still areas for improvement at the state level; currently no pen-alty exists if the Gfeller-Waller Law is violated and just this season, Isaiah Langston, a linebacker at Rolesville High in Wake County, died due to a concussion injury.

With nearly 77 percent of all concussion inju-ries coming from football, and girls’ soccer being the next highest at 33 percent according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Hardeman said a lot of prevention and awareness should come from parents.

“There’s always going to be a risk in athletics,” Hardeman said. “But for parents, don’t assume your athlete will come home and report to you. Look for symptoms. Don’t be afraid to ask, ‘How was practice? How are you feeling? Is there any-thing bothering you?’ Look for things that are abnormal because a parent knows a child better than anyone.”

ConCussion management, aWareness improvingby Hannah Chronis

[email protected]

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers the following tips for concussion management and

awareness:

• Don’t ignore your symptoms. If you think you or one of your teammates may have a concussion,

report it to a parent, coach or athletic trainer.

• go to the doctor. Only a health care professional can diagnose a concussion. The sooner you’re checked out, the sooner you might be able to safely return to

play.

• Wear proper protective gear. Make sure you wear protective equipment for your respective sport and

that equipment fits properly and is well maintained.

HealtH & Wellness tips #18 – #20

Concussion Prevention

Maverick girls, boys win conference swim meet

Another swim season, another conference win for the dominant Marvin Ridge Mav-ericks. The girls team earned their sixth consecutive Southern Carolinas conference title on Jan. 26 at the Weddington Swim and Racquet Club, finishing with 341 points to beat second-place Weddington (247) and third-place Sun Valley (157). The boys team finished with 328 points to beat Piedmont (193) and Weddington (173).

Below are the conference champions.

GIRlSevent name sCHool time200-yard medley lauren Rush Marvin Ridge 1:57.77 alex Bonfilio ashley Baum abby House

event name sCHool time200-yard free Caroline Hauder Marvin Ridge 1:57.49200-yard IM Alex Bonfilio Marvin Ridge 2:16.8250-yard free Ashley Baum Marvin Ridge 25.981-m diving Nikki Canale Marvin Ridge 288.95100-yard fly Abby House Marvin Ridge 1:00.93100-yard free Kaylea Tolchin Weddington 55.94500-yard free Caroline Hauder Marvin Ridge 5:19.98200-yard free relay lexie White Marvin Ridge 1:47.26 Kate Marshall Caroline Hauder ashley Baum100-yard back Abby House Marvin Ridge 1:03.55100-yard breast Alex Bonfilio Marvin Ridge 1:11.16400-yard free relay lexie White Marvin Ridge 3:56.88 lauren Rush Caroline Hauder alex Bonfilio

sports shortsby Hannah Chronis

[email protected]

(see Sports Shorts on page 21)


Sports

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Boysevent name sCHool time200-yard medley Austin McInerny Marvin Ridge 1:46.36 Jeffrey Murray Nate Utesch peter dwyer200-yard free Dillon Gaspareck Weddington 1:52.97200-yard IM Jeffrey Murray Marvin Ridge 2:00.0250-yard free Peter Dwyer Marvin Ridge 23.291-m diving Jesse Mazen Cuthbertson 214.25100-yard fly Peter Dwyer Marvin Ridge 54.33100-yard free Danny Canale Marvin Ridge 51.40500-yard free John Paque Marvin Ridge 5:06.95200-yard free Noah Caroll Marvin Ridge 1:34.73 danny Canale Nate Utesch peter dwyer100-yard back Jay Austin Piedmont 55.87100-yard breast Gage Mayer Cuthbertson 1:03.26400-yard free relay Jeffrey Murray Marvin Ridge 3:28.74 Nate Utesch danny Canale Austin McInerny

Weddington athletes announce commitments

Three Weddington athletes announced their college choices earlier this month.

Sophomore Olivia Odle, a midfielder on the girls soccer team, announced her verbal commit-ment to Virginia Tech. Odle scored 23 goals and added 18 assists in her debut on the varsity team last season, helping lead the Warriors to a 20-3-1 record that ended with an appearance in the Class 3A state

championship game. Teammate Cyan Mercer, a sopho-more defender who started on the varsity team as a freshman, announced her ver-bal commitment to Clemson University.

S i x - f o o t - t w o receiver Chris Tre-

visan signed with Davidson College. Trevisan finished his senior campaign with 54 receptions for 866 yards and nine interceptions.

Monroe girls beat West Stanly

Bria Roddy scored a team-high 16 points on Jan. 23 in a 41-21 win over West Stanly. Roddy added five rebounds, four steals, an assist and a block in the win to help the Redhawks improve to 13-4 and 3-1 in Rocky River conference play.

Roddy had help from senior Zasha Barrett, who scored eight points in the win, and sophomore Jehniya Smith who added another eight. Barrett led the rebounding effort with nine and added four steals and a block in the win.

The Redhawks travel to Central Acad-emy (6-9, 1-1) on Jan. 30.

Sports Shorts(continued from page 20)

Boys Basketball Player of the Week: RJ Filio, Porter Ridgethe 6-foot shooting guard shot 86 percent from the floor on Jan. 21 in a tough two-point loss to Parkwood, leading the team with 27 points. He’s averaging 15 points per game on the season.

Girls Basketball Player of the Week: Stephanie Watts, Weddingtonthe standout north Carolina commit scored 25 points on Jan. 20 in the Warriors’ 74-54 win over Piedmont, becoming the county’s all-time leading scorer. on Jan. 27, Watts tossed in 33 points in a win over Cuthbertson.

“You can be the most powerful, fastest car in the world but if there’s no gas in the tank, you aren’t going anywhere. Training and preparing

your bodies for competition and then not putting fuel in the tank is an

exercise in futility.” – Butler football coach Brian Hales


On healthy eating

Cyan Mercer

Olivia Odle

Chris Trevisan


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ACROSS 1 Slur over, as a

syllable 6 ___ David

(presidential retreat)

10 Boozer’s binge13 Uncle who told

Br’er Rabbit tales

14 Where China and India are

15 Push’s opposite16 Stares open-

mouthed17 What a

whetstone gives a knife

19 Hurriedly left by car

21 Highway divider22 Repeated word

in “The Banana Boat Song”

23 Derrière24 Pique

performance?26 Jottings29 Write-up on

the recently deceased

33 Weighty books35 Survey anew37 Genetic stuff38 Be behind in

bills39 Something

often seen on a street corner, briefly … or, literally, something seen in each corner of this puzzle

41 Follower of Mar.42 Hurried43 Fido tormentors44 Quizzed46 Story set

on Mount Olympus, e.g.

48 Dadaist Max50 “___, meeny,

miney, mo …”51 Ugly Middle-

earth creatures53 Gunslinger

Wyatt55 “Enough!”58 Panicky onrush62 Wishful fantasy

64 Helpers around the House, say

65 Gung-ho66 Capri, for one67 Rapscallion68 Fish eggs69 Director Joel or

Ethan70 Wise man

DOWN 1 Measures of

work, in physics 2 High jump 3 Roadblock 4 What a

pregnant woman or a library book has

5 Op-ed piece, e.g.

6 Hidalgo home 7 Like a post-

volcanic landscape

8 Hamm in the National Soccer Hall of Fame

9 Cheese to sprinkle on spaghetti

10 Dame Dench11 Simple aquatic

plant12 Narrow valley15 Martinez with

three Cy Young Awards

18 Split-___ soup20 Got the gold23 Neglectful24 Attack violently,

as a fortress25 “Can’t be

done!”27 Buys on

Amazon, say28 Lyndon Johnson

or George W. Bush

30 It may bring you to a screeching halt

31 How many forms are filled out

32 Late34 Beach lotion

letters36 Links org.40 Thrilling

45 Title cop played by Al Pacino in 1973

47 Had aspirations49 Lipton product52 Free (of)54 Gather55 Practice boxing56 Recorder for

couch potatoes57 Mayberry boy

58 Post-Christmas store event

59 Feds who catch counterfeiters

60 Floor model, often

61 Channel with many game highlights

63 That: Sp.

PUZZLE BY LYNN LEMPEL

For answers, call 1-900-285-5656, $1.49 a minute; or, with a credit card, 1-800-814-5554.Annual subscriptions are available for the best of Sunday crosswords from the last 50 years: 1-888-7-ACROSS.AT&T users: Text NYTX to 386 to download puzzles, or visit nytimes.com/mobilexword for more information.Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 2,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year).Share tips: nytimes.com/wordplay. Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/learning/xwords.

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P O T F A R M S W A M P U MA F R O B E A T I G U A N AS T A R B A S E C A L L O NT E N T A C L E C R E E D SA N K H H I L D A S O U L

M I N E O D E AP O P G U N D O C I L I T YA P L E N T Y M O L I E R ER E A L G O O D U L S T E RT R Y W A S P SY A M S C L U E D M E M ET R A C E R P R E N A T A LR O T A T E H A T E M A I LA L E R T S I P A D M I N IY E S Y E S N E T S A L E S

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018

For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550For Release Monday, January 26, 2015

Edited by Will Shortz No. 1222Crossword

TOP CASH FOR CARS, Call Now For An Instant Offer. Top Dollar Paid, Any Car/Truck, Any Condition. Running or Not. Free Pick-up/Tow. 1-800-761-9396 SAPA

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SHOP AVON 24/7 at your convenience. Go to www.youravon.com/meabel or www.AllBeautyNow.com for direct delivery. Log in and use discount coupon code: WELCOME on 1st order for 20% OFF. For a current Avon Book or to place an order by phone Contact Mary Abel at 704-497-7722. 013015

SHARON MEMORIAL Park. 4 Lots (2 w/vaults) side by side. $4000. Leave message @ (704)847-5228. 020615

2015 HOT TUB seats up to 6, full warranty, 51 jets, mood light, Retails $7599. Sell $2797704-322-4226. 020615

Senior .NET Developer (Charlotte, NC) Works closely w/ EBIS team members & internal customers to dvlp business system reqmts; tests prgms or d/bases, corrects errors & makes necessary modifications; re-designs, updates, & monitors the creation & dvlpmt of web applications; modifies existing d/bases & d/base mgmt systems; dvlps operational & backup plans; dvlps site admin application used for library maintenance; maintenance of SSIS reports through integrated SharePoint environment. Reqs Bach’s Deg in Comp Sci & IT + 5 yrs exp as .NET Developer. Email resume to [email protected], Baker & Taylor, Inc., Charlotte, NC 28217. 013015

Microsoft Corporation currently has the following openings in Charlotte, NC (job opportunities available at all levels, e.g., Principal, Senior and Lead levels):Support Engineers / Escalation Engineers: Provide technical support on issues experienced with Microsoft technologies. http://bit.ly/MSJobs-Support

Solution Specialist - EPG Core Solution Specialist - CnE or Other: Enhance the Microsoft customer relationship from a capability development perspective by articulating the value of our services and solutions and identifying competition gaps in targeted

accounts. Requires travel up to 30% with work to be performed at various unanticipated worksites throughout the U.S. http://www.jobs-microsoft.com/job/go/240610400/Multiple job openings are available for each of these categories. To view detailed job descriptions and minimum requirements, and to apply, visit the website address listed. EOE. 013015

Part Time cleaning position, experience not necessary, training will be given, needs own vehicle & background will be checked. 704- 843-4877 ask for Ricky/ D’Lise Cleaning Services, LLC. 013015ATTN: Drivers-$2K Sign-on Bonus Love your $55K Job! $2K Sign-on Bonus + Benefits Ave $1100 Weekly CDL-A Req 1-888-592-4752. www.ad-drivers,com. SAPA

GET PAID WEEKLY!FT and PT mail work from home. For full details visit: www.750weekly.comor call 512-827-0060 (24/7). SAPA

Mill Grove UMC is seeking qualified candidates for a part time Custodian. Major responsibilities include cleaning and maintenance of Church facilities. Candidates must have prior janitorial experience and able to carry and/or move a minimum of 50 lbs. Approximately 30 hours/week Evenings and Weekends required. EOE, Background check required. Qualified candidates must submit resume and salary requirements to [email protected]. 013015

Drivers: New Equipment just arrived. New Year – New Opportunities. Want Better Pay? Better Home-time? & Compensat ion????? CDL-A 1yr. exp. 877-704-3773. 013015

Curves Part Time. Must be Energetic, self motivated and love working with people.. Morning and evening hours a must. Send resume to [email protected]. 102414

Beware of loan fraud. Please check with the better business bureau or consumer protection agency before sending any money to any loan company. SAPA

SERIOUSLY MOTIVATED PEOPLE needed for expansion in health and wellness industry. Must have high speed internet/phone. Free on line training with continued support. Flex hours.Good income. www.hometosuccess.com 020615

CONCRETE SERVICES driveways, sidewalks, slabs, repair concrete, resurfacing, decorative, carports, basements grading, hauling, footings, brick, block, pavers, footings, grading asphalt new and repair, interior finishing senior citizens, Veteran discount, January specials. Call Anytime 980-622-7833. www.dunlapbrothersccs.com usaconcretecharlotte.com. Credit cards accepted. 021315

Still Home Improvement & Construction 704-363-5628 Experienced ReliableTrusted Basic Electrical, K i t c h e n / B a t h , Remodeling Additions/Decks, Basic Plumbing, FlooringRot repair & Tile/Plumbing contact: [email protected] Free Estimates Call Anytime704-363-5628 “To Your Satisfaction”. 041015

European Cleaning Woman – 16 years experience. Looking for a job. Clean house, apartment or office. References available. My name is Martina. Call 704- 628-5504 or 516- 554-3960. 041715

HOUSE CLEANING Your Home Will be Thoroughly Cleaned! Weekly or Bi-Weekly. Experienced and Dependable. References and Free Estimates. Affordable Rates. Call Lelia at (980) 875-9606. 020615

P R O F E S S I O N A L PAINTERS – S H E E T R O C K – HANDYMAN $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ discounted services all winter long. $75 per room special. Always the best prices and service. We have been in the business for 25 years. Our services include painting, sheetrock, repair and installation, popcorn removal and repair, pressure washing, handyman, light plumbing and electrical. Licensed and Insured. All work has a full warranty. Call for your free estimate: 704-240-2258. 030615

We Fix It ServiceSince 1969 – Free EstimatesLicensed/BondedReplace Fogged Window GlassFix Windows to Stay UpRe-open stuck WindowsFor EgressWe Replace all types of Window PartsHighest Rating on Home Advisory704-578-6264

BYTESIZE COMPUTER SERVICES LLC FREE

onsite service & FREE consultations. Virus Removal, Computer Hardware and Software repair, Speed up slow Desktop or Laptop Computers, one hour In-Home personalized Computer Training sessions, Repair & Purchasing and Upgrading available. We offer Personable engagements and VERY competitive pricing. 25 Years of Computer Experience. Call Mark at 704-287- 8827 or visit our website: www. b y t e s i z e c o m p u t e r services.com. References are available. 041714FREE ESTIMATE

NU VISIONS PAINTING By Al Baskins on FB. Let us color your world one room at a time ! Interior / Exterior Painting Commercial / Residential Cabinets / Kitchens / Baths Specializing In Repaints Deck Restorations Pressure Washing Spring Special 10% off with this add Over 30 years experience painting Charlotte Al Baskins , Owner Pineville N.C. 704- 605- 7897 / 704-889- 7479. 122914

FSBO - 12201 OakshadeLn,Matthews,4BR/2.5BA/2400+sf/2car,EIK,gasrange,pantry,FR w/gas fp,wet bar,formal LR,9\’c e i l i n g s , n e w MBA,tankless gas W H , w a l k i n s , n e w hardwoods &carpet,fresh paint,corner lot c u l - d e - s a c , f e n c e d /shaded B/Y w/deck/patio,low maint,quiet ne ighborhood , c lo se to shopping/schools/parks. Asking $214500, call 7047718326/appt. Brokers OK. 022015

HOME FOR RENT 3 bed/2 bath + bonus room home 2 car garage (2000 square feet) MATTHEWS location.Cul du sac. Fenced yard. 1 pet SSappliances--washer and dryer included. $1500 (704)576-0955. 021315

MintHill: rooms for rent for seniors 55 & up, all utilities included, internet wifi, washer/ dryer, furnished den/ dining, rent 475/dep. 475, m bedroom 575/

dep 575, call 704-208-7891. 020615

*CASH TODAY* Weíll Buy Any Car (Any Condition) + Free Same-Day Pick Up. Best Cash Offer Guaranteed! Call for FREE Quote 1-888-913-1680 SAPA

AVIATION GRADS WORK WITH JETBLUE, BOEING, NASA AND OTHERS. START HERE WITH HANDS ON TRAINING FOR FAA CERTIFICATION. FINANCIAL AID IF QUALIFIED. CALL AVIATION INSTITUTE OF MAINTENANCE 1-866-724-5403 WWW.FIXJETS.COM. SAPA

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EARN YOUR High School Diploma at home in a few short weeks. Work at your own pace.

First Coast Academy. Nationally accredited. Call for free brochure. 1 - 8 0 0 - 6 5 8 - 1 1 8 0 , extension 82. www.fcahighschool.org SAPA

DISH TV Starting at $19.99/month (for 12 months) SAVE! Regular Price $32.99. Call Today and Ask About FREE SAME DAY Installation! CALL Now! 1-855-866-9941. SAPA

*REDUCE YOUR CABLE BILL* Get a 4-Room All-Digital Satellite system installed for FREE! Programming starting at $19.99/MO. FREE HD/DVR upgrade for new callers. CALL NOW 1-800-795-1315 SAPA

Dish TV Retailer -SAVE! Starting $19.99/month (for 12 months.) FREE Premium Movie Channels. FREE Equipment, Installation & Activation. CALL, COMPARE LOCAL DEALS! 1-800-351-0850. SAPA

Get The Big Deal from DirecTV! Act Now- $19.99/mo. Free 3-Months of HBO, starz, SHOWTIME &

CINEMAXFREE GENIE HD/DVR Upgrade! 2014 NFL Sunday Ticket Included with Select Packages. New Customers Only IV Support Holdings LLC- An authorized DirecTV Dealer. Some exclusions apply - Call for details 1-800-413-9179. SAPA

ENJOY 100 percent g u a r a n t e e d , delivered?to-the-door Omaha Steaks! SAVE 74 percent PLUS 4 FREE Burgers - The Family Value Combo - ONLY $39.99. ORDER Today 1-800-715-2010 Use code 48829AFK or www.OmahaS teaks.com/mbfvc46

Medical Guardian - Top-rated medical alarm and 24/7 medical alert monitoring. For a limited time, get free equipment, no activation fees, no commitment, a 2nd waterproof alert button for free and more - only $29.95 per month. 800-983-4906

AIRLINE MECHANIC CAREERS START HERE - GET FAA APPROVED M A I N T E N A N C E

TRAINING. FINANCIAL AID FOR QUALIFIED STUDENTS. JOB P L A C E M E N T ASSISTANCE. CALL AVIATION INSTITUTE OF MAINTENANCE 1-866-724-5403 WWW.FIXJETS.COM. SAPA

HELP: LOST DOG, \”Dotty\”, Australian Cattle mix, 7yrs, 35lbs. Lost 8/1/14, Rea Rd. Black/White, black patch right eye. pink/grey collar. Contact Kim 704-763-3661. Her loving family misses her very much!

Cats cradle boarding beautiful 5 star cats only kennel. Huge sun-filled suites, 3 levels, climbing tree. Pickup/delivery. 20% Senior discount. For rates and requirements call 704.771.6052 www.Cat boardingcharlotte.Com. 072514

PROVIDENCE PET SITTING is licensed, insured, and pet CPR/First Aid certified. We have been lovingly caring for pets for over 10 years. Contact us at 704-591-7274 for more info. 101014

To advertise, visit www.carolinaweeklynewspapers.comCarolina Weekly Classifieds Network

ACROSS 1 Event with

foxhounds 5 Lottery winner’s

feeling 9 Somewhat13 Cookie involved

in a licking race14 Word after

Mother or Google

16 Appoint to office

17 R&B singer backed by the Love Unlimited Orchestra

19 Banana discard20 Unlikely derby

winner21 Thermos

alternatives23 When repeated,

kind of pedal25 “I can ___”

(“Been there”)26 Late comic

genius32 Draw out33 Scrape by

34 It might say “A-C” or “2013-14”

37 Was sick38 Bigheadedness39 Sparkly topper41 TV diner boss42 “___ American

Life”43 Robert De Niro

spy thriller44 Children’s

author/illustrator with a National Medal of Arts

48 Hold protectively

50 Massage51 No easy chore54 Missouri feeder59 Paul who sang

“Diana”60 Trio whose

members start 17-, 26- and 44-Across

62 Agenda part63 Flavor

64 Metalliferous rocks

65 Decomposes66 Last name of

60-Across67 Vocalist

Vannelli

DOWN 1 Vagabond 2 ___ Mountains

(continent separator)

3 One whose favorite website is Sporcle, say

4 Not intact 5 Showy trinket 6 ___-di-dah 7 Football Hall-

of-Famer Dickerson

8 ___ Place, Butch Cassidy companion

9 Canterbury saint

10 Declare something boldly

11 Make ___ (get rich)

12 Thickheaded15 Playwright

Ibsen18 Expressed

boredom, in a way

22 Event with crumpets

24 Cab Calloway phrase

26 Bawl (out)27 Cartoon dog

with a big tongue

28 Something you won’t see many bears in

29 “Rocks”30 Sound

reasoning31 Less literal35 Puccini’s

“Un bel di,” e.g.36 Carom39 ___ clef40 TV network

once called Pax

42 Tasty rewards45 Jane who won

a 1931 Nobel Peace Prize

46 Last: Abbr.47 Top-notch48 Committee

head49 Totaled52 Friend of Scoob

53 French army headwear

55 Open-mouthed

56 Actress Garr

57 High schooler

58 Canadian fuel name

61 Partner of weave

PUZZLE BY JOEL D. LAFARGUE

Annual subscriptions are available for the best of Sunday crosswords from the last 50 years: 1-888-7-ACROSS.

AT&T users: Text NYTX to 386 to download puzzles, or visit nytimes.com/mobilexword for more information.

Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 2,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year).

Share tips: nytimes.com/wordplay.

Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/learning/xwords.

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE

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S L A P B E T T E C R A WE U R O U S H E R R A G EA C T I S T A N L E Y C U PS K I N N Y D I P S P E N T

Y E T I M E H T AA L A E L A S H E S

B R A T T V S T A R E M UL I L S K I T R I P A M PO F F O I L P A N P D A SW E A P O N M E M O

R A T S O E R O SE P O C H S T E E L T R A PS U M M E R C A M P A B L EA R E A O A K I E L I V EI R O N C R E T E S T O P

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018

For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550For Release Tuesday, January 20, 2013

Edited by Will Shortz No. 1216Crossword

Real estate–FoR saleVehicles FoR sale

Financial

Miscellaneous

help wanted

seRVices

pets

FoR sale

Real estate–Rental

business oppoRtunities

MeRchandise


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