Council considers UDO amendments, fines for false alarms

By Hugh Fisher
Kannapolis Citizen
The Kannapolis City Council held its first regular meeting of April at 6 p.m. Monday at the Kannapolis Train Station.
Councilman Ken Geathers was absent. All other council members were present. Councilman Richard Anderson gave the invocation.

Items of business before the council included the following:

• The first reading of two amendments to the city’s Uniform Development Ordinance. One amendment adds a new district, Campus Development-Residential, to the list of established zoning districts.

According to the proposed amendment, the new district will allow high-density, compact residential development of condos, townhouses and apartments, with a maximum of 15 units per acre.

Among other restrictions, buildings in the CD-R district would be required to have at least 40 percent masonry in their facades.

The second amendment would amend the city’s off-street parking rules to add a category for “pharmacies,” setting a minimum of one parking space per 300 square feet of floor area.

Those amendments to the UDO will be voted upon at the April 28 council meeting.

• Council members toured the Kannapolis Police Department’s new mobile command post, which was on display outside the building.

First used on Sunday during the department’s Task Force 21 training exercise at the North Carolina Research Campus, the mobile unit contains computers and network and communications gear.

“We can look at everything the police department is doing,” said Kannapolis Police Chief Woody Chavis, showing council members the network setup during the tour.

The command post provides enough space for commanders of different agencies to coordinate during hostage situations, fires or other large-scale emergencies.

“We’re really fortunate to have this,” Chavis said, noting that Kannapolis’ mobile command center was the first of its size and sophistication in Cabarrus County.

Council members also heard a presentation from Capt. Ralph “Chuck” Adams about the need for a new crime scene investigation vehicle to accommodate increased equipment and provide additional safety to officers on duty.

• Members of the council heard more about proposed plans to develop a retail and residential complex off Concord Lake Road, as a result of which developers want to extend Dakota Street in the Royal Oaks neighborhood.

Piedmont Commercial Investments plans to build 288 “high-end” apartments and 58 townhomes, along with retail stores on the 48.7-acre site, which was recently rezoned for such so-called “Planned Unit Development.”

But residents are up in arms over the deal, which they say will increase traffic in their neighborhood

The council met with residents last month to discuss their concerns.

On Monday, Jason Oesterreich of Piedmont Commercial Investments made his company’s case to council members.

“We are looking to do only high-end residential apartments and townhomes,” Oesterreich said, adding that building materials slated for use — brick and heart of pine, but no vinyl — reflected the class of development planned for the site.

But Oesterreich claims the size and type of development his company envisions will not be possible without the connection through Dakota Street.

He claimed that grocery stores who would be potential anchor tenants for the retail development would want to know that residents living behind the development could access the retail center without having to make a loop up Cannon Boulevard to Centergrove Road and Concord Lake Road.

“A grocery store would not accept those limitations of its ability to get those customers in the door,” Oesterreich said.
But council members said the plan to extend Dakota Street would create more traffic problems.

And Oesterreich’s news that Piedmont Commercial Investments would contribute to the cost of a traffic signal at Dakota Street and Cannon Boulevard did little to calm them.
Councilman Darrell Hinnant pointed to the traffic study commissioned by developers as proof of his concerns.

“That (study) seems to say that the traffic will double on that road, and as a result it means that this road is going to have to be improved, widened or whatever needs to be done,” Hinnant said.

“Unless we are willing to do a lot of upgrading to Dakota, it seems to me that this is a poor plan to connect that type of structure to the end of a little narrow street,” Hinnant added.

Oesterreich said that plans for improvements to Dakota Street, including sidewalks, were already being discussed by the city’s Public Works Department.
Anderson said he had heard concerns from Royal Oaks residents about increased traffic due to residents cutting through their neighborhood.

“They’re not against your project, as I understand … but they do have opposition to that road going through there for that particular reason,” Anderson said.
No action was taken on the matter by the council.

• Council members heard a presentation from Human Resources Director Tina Cline and consultant John Maxwell of Springsted Inc. regarding a plan to review city workers’ salaries in an attempt to remain competitive with other municipalities and the private sector.

Springsted is studying several surrounding cities, including Lexington, Salisbury, Huntersville and Mooresville, to help council members determine the appropriate salary for employees in various specialized fields.

Maxwell proposed using job descriptions, not job titles, as the basis for comparison with other cities’ workforces and warned that the current sluggish job market did not mean a lack of competition for the city’s best workers.

“Other employers are cutting back, it’s true,” Maxwell said. “But on the other hand, the problem of being competitive is that if you’re not, you’ll continue into a downward spiral by continuing to lose your highly-trained, more productive employees.”
The city could use information from Springsted’s study to help make decisions on salary increases or, if necessary, pay freezes to bring the city’s jobs in line with what others are paying for the same skills and experience.

• The council voted unanimously to defer until the next meeting consideration of an ordinance to punish false burglar alarm calls with fines, pending consideration of a section in the ordinance which caused disagreement over whether property owners would have to pay an annual fee.

The ordinance is designed to reduce the volume of false alarms sounded by alarm systems in Kannapolis each year.

“The response to these alarms taxes the resources of our department,” Chavis said. He told council members that, of 3,329 such calls in the past year, 99.4 percent were false alarms.

According to Chavis, a third-party company — CryWolf, a division of Maryland-based AOT Public Safety Corporation — would coordinate registration data, monitor alarm system calls and keep track of false alarms.

After two written warnings from police, a third false alarm would result in a fine of $50, with fines increasing with repeated offenses up to a maximum of $500.
Chavis said that the monitoring company and the city would split the amount of money collected in fines, with 65 percent going to the monitoring company and 35 percent to the city.

But council members voted to defer the measure until wording in the proposed ordinance could be clarified.

Council members were unhappy with language that seemed to call for a $20 annual permit fee for property owners, as opposed to a one-time registration fee or an administrative fee when contact or ownership information changed.
The matter will come back before the council at its next regular meeting, on April 28.

• The council set public hearings for May 26 in the matter of two petitions for voluntary annexation, one for a .913 acre plot on N.C. 3 at Davidson Road, the other for a 6.85 acre plot on N.C. 73.


Contact Hugh Fisher at 704-933-3450 or hfisher@kannapoliscitizen.com.

K-town Calendar

Saturday
• The Cabarrus County Democratic Party will hold its annual county convention on Saturday from 11 a.m.-2.30 p.m.
They will meet at Troutman’s BBQ restaurant on U.S. 601 in Concord.
The convention includes a town hall meeting with local Democratic candidates, lunch, election of delegates to the congressional district convention and discussion of plans for the upcoming primary and November election.
Lunch tickets are $10 and will be sold at the door. All Democrats are urged to attend.
Please respond by e-mail to cabarrusdemocrats @gmail.com or call Democratic headquarters at 704-788-8383.
• Stories Under the Stars — Stories return to the Kannapolis branch of the Cabarrus County Public Library with a new season of literacy-inspired, evening performances on the library’s back patio. The Kinetic Dance Group, part of a professional dance company in Charlotte, will perform a family-oriented program Saturday at 7 p.m. Bring a blanket and beverage, and the library will provide free popcorn. For more information, call the Kannapolis branch at 704-920-1180.
• The third annual Spring Herb and Plant Festival will be Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Piedmont Farmers’ Market, 518 Winecoff School Road. There will be horticultural speakers, demonstrations, garden art, herb and perennial plants, published authors, garden craftsmen, extension agents, gardening experts and more on site. Educational events, demonstrations, entry and parking are all free. The event will be held rain or shine and is sponsored by the Cabarrus Master Gardener Volunteer Association and N.C. Cooperative Extension-Cabarrus County Center. For information call 704-920-3326 or 704-920-3310.

Tuesday
• Residents interested in learning ways to bring together neighbors to discuss issues, plan, problem solve and assess resources for neighborhood improvement may take part in the Leadership Initiative beginning April 22.
Leadership Initiative, a training session offered through Cabarrus Neighborhood Partners, will be held on Tuesdays, April 22 through June 10, from 6 to 8 p.m. Classes will be at the Cabarrus County Governmental Center in the multipurpose room on the second floor.
The class size is limited to 30 participants and registration is required. For more information about Cabarrus Neighborhood Partners or to register for the Leadership Initiative, contact Chantel Thompson at 704-920-2206.
• The Mint Thyme Herb Club will present “Propagation Techniques” by Phyllis Craft, owner of Craft Herb Garden, on April 22 at 6 p.m. The event will be at Craft Herb Garden Greenhouse, 10800 Archer Road, Davidson.
This event is open to the public, but reservations are required and the class is limited. Call 704-784-1925 or 704-932-3851 to reserve your spot. Cost is $20. Make checks to Mint Thyme Herbs and Roses, 625 Chadbourne Ave. NW, Concord, NC 28027.

Core Lab almost completed, no expense spared in this N.C. Research Campus building

By Emily Ford
Kannapolis Citizen
Even the bathrooms are covered in marble.
It appears no expense was spared at the Core Laboratory Building at the N.C. Research Campus, which should open this summer.
David H. Murdock traveled to Italy to hand-pick the white marble that graces the four-story atrium inside the Core Lab Building. He ordered nearly twice as much as he ended up needing, so the extra marble will be used in bathrooms and other buildings, said Steve Lambert, a Visitor’s Center host who gives tours of Murdock’s crown jewel.
The building nears completion as crews grade new roads running through the Research Campus. The much-anticipated centerpiece with the copper dome is almost ready to accept its most famous occupant, a 950-MHz nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer.
The one-of-a-kind instrument will arrive from Germany by plane, not boat, campus officials said. Arrival estimates vary from two to four months from now.
Where they aren’t covered with Italian marble, the atrium walls are painted a color that Sherwin-Williams has dubbed “Murdock Yellow,” Lambert said.
The 311,000-square-foot building already has cost Murdock $100 million, and it’s not even furnished yet, Lambert said.
Murdock, who turned 85 Thursday, traveled to High Point last week with Lynne Scott Safrit, president of campus developer Castle & Cooke North Carolina, to pick out furniture.
Murdock will limit automobile traffic on the Research Campus and said eventually the downtown area, most of which he owns, will be “mostly for human use.” He will buy 100 bicycles to place around campus for anyone to use
Lambert said four sample bikes have arrived for Murdock’s approval, and Castle & Cooke is searching for a bike mechanic to keep on staff.
The building will be owned and operated by the David H. Murdock Research Institute.

International company to bring 300 jobs to Kannapolis

By Emily Ford
Kannapolis Citizen
Most people haven’t heard of it, but an international company coming to the N.C. Research Campus has local leaders crowing about new jobs and the possibility of landing a big-name drug maker as a tenant.
“It’s a coup for us,” said Clyde Higgs, vice president for business development for Castle & Cooke North Carolina. “It’s humongous.”
Pharmaceutical Product Development Inc., known as PPD, will open a large office at the campus and hire up to 300 people over the next three years to work in clinical research. Salaries will range from $60,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
More than 120 guests, including a contingent from Castle & Cooke headquarters in Los Angeles, packed restaurant Forty-Six last Wednesday to hear campus founder and benefactor David H. Murdock announce the new partnership.
Based in Wilmington with offices in 30 countries, PPD is a contract research organization that helps other companies develop and test new drugs and medical devices. PPD employs about 11,000 people worldwide and uses the motto, “No one gets medicine into the system faster.”
Higgs called it a “significant, strategic tenant.”
Not only will the company bring jobs to Kannapolis, it also could attract additional tenants, Higgs said.
“Selfishly, it’s a recruitment tool for us,” he said.
When PPD clients such as drug makers Merck and Pfizer come to Kannapolis for a site visit, they will see the $1.5 billion 350-acre biotechnology campus, Higgs said.
The campus is “currently engaged in conversation” with 39 companies, said Lynne Scott Safrit, president of campus developer Castle & Cooke North Carolina.
Murdock, the billionaire owner of Dole Food Co. and Castle & Cooke, who turns 85 this month, was up until midnight last Tuesday making a list of companies he wanted to contact this week, Safrit said. Murdock has a home in Landis and visits about once a month.
Murdock declined to name any potential tenants, but called them “big, powerful companies.”
PPD will begin hiring immediately, including searching for a director for the Kannapolis office. Employees could work from home until the company finds a temporary location, said Dr. Fred Eshelman, the company’s founder and chief executive officer.
Eventually, the company will lease 40,000 square feet in the Medical Office Building on the Research Campus, which is next in line for construction. PPD will share the building with Carolinas HealthCare System.
Kannapolis Mayor Bob Misenheimer said PPD soon will become one of Cabarrus County’s top employers.
New jobs are “something this area desperately needs,” Misenheimer said.
The Research Campus rises on the ruins of an old textile mill that Murdock once owned. When the mill shut down in 2003, more than 4,300 people lost their jobs.
Many of the jobs PPD will create — clinical researchers, project managers and clinical research associates — won’t go to displaced millworkers. But the company also needs support and administrative positions, Eshelman said.
In addition to registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and people with bachelor of science degrees, the company looks for people “with common sense” who can retrain and work their way up, he said.
PPD’s potential 300 jobs are only a fraction of the 5,000 jobs that leaders expect the campus to create.
But each technical job should spawn five to seven additional jobs, said Dr. Andrew Conrad, chief scientific officer for the campus.
“Remember, a rising tide lifts all boats,” Conrad said.
Nearly 70 percent of jobs on the Research Campus will not require a four-year degree, said John Cox, president of the Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Cox, who called adequate funding of the state’s community college system “urgent,” reminded the crowd that Murdock will pay for people to get their high school equivalency.
“The more you learn, the more you earn,” Cox said.
Many speakers said the community college system, which includes 28 biotech training programs, holds the key to workforce development for PPD and other high-tech companies attracted to the Research Campus.
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, which will have a campus in Kannapolis, is already in talks with PPD to design a certificate program, Higgs said.
“We’ll get training programs up and running pretty quick,” Eshelman said.
Murdock’s emphasis on collaboration at the N.C. Research Campus helped attract PPD, Eshelman said.
While many speakers invoked the idea of collaboration, the campus last week awarded a contract to Carolinas HealthCare System as its exclusive health care provider.
Safrit said the contract doesn’t conflict with the collaboration ideal.
Other institutions, including Carolinas HealthCare System’s rival Novant Health, which recently merged with Rowan Regional Medical Center, still can participate with the campus, she said. Duke University’s long-term medical study named for Murdock will offer an opportunity to many health care institutions, she said.
Rowan Regional could participate with PPD on a clinical trial, Eshelman said.
PPD regularly recruits physicians and hospitals to help develop and advance new drugs, therapies and medical devices. The company will recruit in Rowan County, he said.
“We can reach out to those institutions,” Eshelman said. “This will be a tremendous hub for new places to start trials.”
Contact Emily Ford at eford@salisburypost.com.

Obituaries, 4/16/08

J. Carlyle Rutledge
J. Carlyle Rutledge, 98, of Kannapolis, died Thursday, April 10, 2008, at CMC-NorthEast.
Born Dec. 28, 1909, in Stanley, he was a son of the late Joe Graham and Virginia Moore Rutledge. He graduated from Stanley public schools and had perfect attendance from first grade through college.
He graduated in 1930 from Weaver College, which merged with Brevard in 1934. He graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1932 and UNC School of Law in 1935.
He established his own practice in Kannapolis in 1936. It is now the law firm of Rutledge, Friday, Safrit and Smith.
He practiced law for more than 50 years, served as judge of domestic relations court of Cabarrus County, past president of Cabarrus County Bar Association, and received 2005 Law Day Liberty Bell Award. He was admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court Bar in March 2002.
Founder of Kannapolis Real Estate Agency Inc. and president for more than 50 years, he was also president of GEM Theatre Inc., president for 32 years of Terry Products Inc., and a member of the board of directors of China Grove Cotton Mills.
He served in the N.C. House of Representatives for in 1941 and 1943, and served in the state senate in 1957, 1959 and 1961.
He was an active member of Kannapolis Rotary Club since 1943, serving as both president and district governor. He received a Paul Harris Fellow and Rotary District 7680 Distinguished Rotarian Award in 1995. The J. Carlyle Rutledge Lifetime Service to Rotary Award was named in his honor. He also received the Service Above Self Award in 1988 and 50 Years Service Above Self in 1994.
He received the state’s highest civilian award, The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, in 1996. The city of Kannapolis established J. Carlyle Rutledge Day in 1996. The Kannapolis Educational Foundation presented him the Distinguished Community Service Award in 2003. Kannapolis Business Men’s Club presented the Outstanding Service Award in 1974 and Mr. Businessman in 1965. Boy Scouts of America named him a Century Member in 1985 and in 2000, he was appointed to the Lighthouse Society. He received the Old Courthouse Theater Mary Snead Boger Award in 2006.
He was an honorary member of both First Presbyterian and First Baptist churches.
He served on the Cannon Memorial YMCA Board of Directors; was co-chairman of the Cannon Memorial YMCA Endowment Fund; Interstate Committee of the YMCA of the Carolinas; and International Committee of the YMCA for World Service. He was a charter member of J.T. Fesperman Y’s Men Club; was a benefactor of YMCA Youth Award; and received the YMCA of USA-Southeast Region Distinguished Program Service Award
A member of Trinity United Methodist Church, he had served as chairman of the administrative board, chairman of Board of Trustees, chairman of the Salisbury District Board of Trustees of the United Methodist Church, and chairman of the building committee.
He taught children’s Sunday school in the 1930s, was on the Parsonage Building Committee, a lay speaker, and established the Trinity United Methodist Major Maintenance Trust Fund. He served on the Board of Directors of The Methodist Home, Charlotte, and Anchor Club; received the R.M. Cochran Church Service Award in 1984; studied at Finch-Hunt Institute for Homiletical Studies; was an honorary life member of the administrative board, and was on the Board of Directors of the Methodist Home of Charlotte.
He had served on the Board of Trustees at Brevard College since 1978; on the executive committee, building & grounds committee, enrollment & scholarship committee; was an honorary life member of the Board of Trustees and Allen Sims Society; and received the First Brevard College Medallion of Honor for lifelong dedication and service to Brevard College.
He married Judith Kuykendal in 1938; she died in 1993.
Survivors include son James “Jim” Rutledge, Kannapolis; daughters Martha Macon, Kannapolis, and Polly Trott, Connecticut; 12 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
A service was held Sunday, April 13, 2008, at Trinity United Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. Judy White, the Rev. Erin Yow and retired Bishop L. Bevel Jones III, of Atlanta, Ga.
Memorials: Trinity United Methodist Church, Major Maintenance Fund, 416 E. First St., Kannapolis, NC 28083; ARC of Cabarrus P.O. Box 1367, Concord, NC 28026; Hospice and Palliative Care of Cabarrus County, 5003 Hospice Lane, Kannapolis, NC 28081; or The Old Courthouse Theatre, P.O. Box 1187, Concord, NC 28026.
Whitley’s Funeral Home was in charge.

Ray Hornbeak Jr.
CONCORD — Ray Lee “Little Ray” Hornbeak Jr., 46, of Avante Nursing Center, died Friday, April 11, 2008, following a seven-year illness.
Born Sept. 19, 1961, in Concord, he was the son of Ray Lee and Mary Graham Hornbeak. He attended Salisbury Christian School and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. Prior to his illness, he owned and operated T&R Plumbing.
He is survived by son Ray Lee Hornbeak III, Monroe, and daughter Tasha Bost of Kannapolis; sisters Donna Gebhardt and Angela Lambert, both of Harrisburg; and three grandchildren.
A service was held Sunday, April 13, 2008, at Whitley’s Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Marla Starnes. Burial, Carolina Memorial Park.
Memorials: NorthEast Foundation, 920 Church St., Concord, NC 28025.

‘Lewis’ Daniel
CONCORD — Robert “Lewis” Daniel, 86, 230 Lucky Drive, died Saturday, April 12, 2008.
Born June 23, 1921, in Mecklenburg County, he was a son of the late John R. and Lelia Foster Daniel. He was a retired machinist for Ronson Hydraulics in Charlotte. He worked in the hosiery mill industry for many years. He attended New Hope Worship Center, formerly First Four Square Church, where he was a member of the advisory board.
He is preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, Helen Virginia Ferguson Daniel, who died Oct. 26, 2007; and his son, Tim Lewis Daniel.
Memorials: New Hope Worship Center, 452 Brookwood Ave. N.E., Concord, NC 28025.
A service was held Tuesday, April 15, 2008, at New Hope Worship Center, conducted by the Rev. Dale Jenkins and the Rev. Jeff Burris. Burial, Oakwood Cemetery, Concord.
Hartsell Funeral Home was in charge.

Gordonna Gillam
ROCKWELL — Gordonna Louise McMann Gillam, 77, 110 Park Drive, died Sunday, April 6, 2008, at CMC-NorthEast in Concord.
Born Feb. 15, 1931, in Cook County, Ill., Mrs. Gillam was a daughter of the late Gordon Eugene and Lila Louise Sullivan McMann. Educated in Michigan schools, she was a resident of the area since 1996. She was a homemaker and a registered nurse for many years until her retirement.
She was a member of Dayspring Community Church in China Grove.
Her husband, Lester Green Gillam, died in 1995. She was also preceded in death by a grandson.
Surviving are sons Jerry and Charles Gillam, both of Gold Hill, and Larry Gillam, Rockwell; daughters Julia Gillam of the home, and Joyce O’Neal, Kannapolis; four grandchildren; and two great-granddaughters.
A service was held Wednesday, April 9, 2008, at Dayspring Community Church, China Grove, conducted by the Rev. Gary Steedley.
Memorials: Dayspring Community Church, 490 Lentz Road, China Grove, NC 28023.
Whitley’s Funeral Home was in charge.

Blondell Blackwelder
CONCORD — Blondell Faye Hartsell Blackwelder, 73, 2443 Tilley Road, died Friday, April 11, 2008, at the home.
Born June 1, 1934, in Cabarrus County, she was the daughter of the late Robert and Clara Rowell Hartsell. She retired from Fieldcrest Cannon, Plant 15, as a winder hand. She was active in her church and served as past president of the Women of the Church of God. She was a member of Branchview First Church of God, Concord.
Survivors include her husband, Bennie Fred Blackwelder; sons Fred Blackwelder, Gold Hill, and Jeff Blackwelder, Morris, Ala.; daughters, Janice Blackwelder Lord, Churchland, and Susan Blackwelder Lomax, Concord; brother, David Hartsell of Concord; sisters Gladys Lambert of Concord, Linda Nance of Kannapolis and Gaynell Hartsell of Concord; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandson.
A service was held Monday, April 14, 2008, at Branchview First Church of God, Concord, conducted by the Rev. Dean Lewis and the Rev. Mike Mullis. Burial, West Concord Cemetery, Concord.
Memorials: Alzheimer’s Association, 3800 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte, NC 28215 or Community Free Clinic, 528 Lake Concord Road N.E. Concord, NC 28025.
Hartsell Funeral Home, Concord, was in charge.

Arnold L. Cook Jr.
Arnold Loverne Cook Jr, 46, 908 Kimberly Lane, Kannapolis, died Sunday, April 6, 2008, at his home.
Born March 7, 1962, in Cabarrus County, he was a son of Linda Canupp Cook, of the home, and the late Arnold Cook Sr.
He was preceded in death by one brother.
Survivors include his wife, Charity Bell Cook; son Andrew “Andy” Cook, of the home; daughters Opal K. Cook of the home and Priscilla Mast of Kannapolis; brother Berry Cook of Kannapolis; and and grandson.
A service was held Wednesday, April 9, 2008, at Lighthouse Apostolic Church with Rev. Larry Metz officiating.
Memorials: Lighthouse Apostolic Church, c/o the Rev. Larry Metz, 8707 Dogwood Drive, Kannapolis NC 28081.
Wilkinson Funeral Home was in charge.

Colby Livengood
CHINA GROVE — Colby Ryan Livengood, 16, 4330 First St., died Sunday, April 6, 2008, at his home.
Born Sept. 27, 1991, in Rowan County, Colby was the son of Bobby Ray and Pamela Roberson Livengood. He was home-schooled.
In addition to his parents, he is survived by sister Kristin Livengood of Salisbury; brother Adam Roberson of Rockwell; and grandparents Irene Livengood of Salisbury, Barbara and Bill Owens of Churchland and James Edward Roberson of Winston-Salem.
A service was held Wednesday, April 9, 2008, at Calvary Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Joel Ervin. Burial, Rowan Memorial Park, Salisbury.
Lady’s Funeral Home was in charge.

Minnie Bell Cline
Minnie Belle Barrier Cline, 82, formerly of Greenview Drive, Kannapolis, and Morningside Assisted Living, Concord, died Thursday, April 10, 2008, at Universal Healthcare in Concord.
Born Jan. 15, 1926, in Cabarrus County, she was the daughter of the late George William and Vergie Irene Drye Barrier. She retired from Cannon Mills, Plant 1, where she was a weaver for 50 years. She was a member of New Hope Lutheran Church, where she formerly served as financial secretary, taught Sunday school for more than 30 years and was a member of the choir for more than 50 years. She also held various positions with the Lutheran Women of the church. She was a former member of TOPS in Concord.
She was preceded in death by her husband of more than 48 years, Billy Leon Cline, who died Feb. 28, 1991.
Survivors include two daughters, Betty Baucom, Midland, and Debbie Joyner, Concord; sisters Nell Moose and Mae Bost, both of Rockwell; brothers Martin Barrier, Myrtle Beach, S.C., and John Barrier, Concord; two grandsons; and five great-grandchildren.
A service was held Sunday, April 13, 2008, at Lady’s Funeral Home Chapel, conducted by the Rev. Kim Trabold. Burial, Carolina Memorial Park.
Memorials: New Hope Lutheran Church, 1615 Brantley Road, Kannapolis, NC 28083.

‘Lefty’ Hambrick
CONCORD — Melvin Daryl “Lefty” Hambrick, 67, 4625 Poplar Tent Road, died Wednesday, April 9, 2008, at his home.
Born Oct. 7, 1940, in York County, S.C., he was a son of Margie Roberts Hambrick, of York, S.C., and the late Melvin Lee Hambrick. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, where he served in the military air police.
He was preceded in death by four children.
Survivors include his wife of 15 years, Sharyn Lipscomb Hambrick; sons Daryl “Rusty” Hambrick, Sylva, and Robert and Marty Hambrick, both of Albemarle; daughter Angela H. Moore, Columbus, Ga.; sister Elaine Montgomery, York, S.C.; stepchildren Barton R. Poole, Charlotte, and Katie L. Poole, Kannapolis; 12 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
A graveside service was held Friday, April 11, 2008, at Grandview Memorial Park in Rock Hill, S.C., conducted by the Rev. Johnny Robinson.
Memorials: Coltrane LIFE Center, 321 Corban Ave. S.E., Concord, NC 28025.
Whitley’s Funeral Home was in charge.

Bobby R. Deal
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — retired Senior Master Sgt. Bobby R. Deal died Friday, March 28, 2008.
Born May 25, 1931, in Kannapolis, he was a son of the late Harry Deal and Rosella Herman Beaver and Mack Beaver.
After retiring from the U.S. Air Force, he and his family lived in San Antonio, Texas.
Survivors include his wife, Lillie; son Robert; daughter Maria; sister Rose Marie Beaver Hollon, Indian Trail, N.C.; brothers Harold D. Deal, Salisbury, N.C., Jerry T. Deal, Kannapolis, N.C., Michael J. Beaver, Mount Gilead, N.C., and Johnny M. Beaver, Charlotte, N.C.; and a grandson.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held at St. John Berchmans Catholic Church, San Antonio, on April 1, 2008. A military burial followed at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.
Memorials: Christus VNA Hospice, 601 Sawyer St., No. 750, Houston, TX 77007.

‘Don’ Dwiggins
James “Don” Dwiggins, 80, 5024 S. Nez Perce Ave., Sierra Vista, Ariz., and formerly of Kannapolis, N.C., died Wednesday, April 9, 2008, at the Hacienda Rehabilitation and Care Center in Sierra Vista.
Mr. Dwiggins was born Jan. 23, 1928, in Mocksville, N.C., to the late William Walker and Edna Tutterow Dwiggins. Mr. Dwiggins worked as a mechanic for Cannon Mills until he retired. He lived in Sierra Vista for the last 16 years with his son.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Elizabeth Griffin Dwiggins, who died Oct. 19, 1993.
Survivors include son James M. Dwiggins, Sierra Vista; brother, Thurlo “Herb” Dwiggins of New Jersey; and sister Mary Lou “Butch” Bost of Kannapolis, N.C.; and two grandchildren.
A service was held Monday, April 14, 2008, at Whitley’s Funeral Home Chapel, conducted by the Rev. Louis Pfeiffer. Burial, Carolina Memorial Park.
Memorials: Muscular Dystrophy Association, 484 Williamson Road A, Mooresville, NC 28117.

Michael James
CONCORD — Michael Ray James, 48, died at his home Thursday, April 10, 2008, after a long-term illness.
Born Feb. 1, 1960, in Cabarrus County, he was a son of Jimmy Ray and Jean Bennick James of Concord. He was a self-employed motorcycle mechanic.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Ann Conner James.
Memorials: American Diabetes Association, 222 S. Church St., Suite 336M, Charlotte, NC 28202 or to the National Kidney Foundation of North Carolina, 5950 Fairview Road, Suite 550, Charlotte, NC 28210.
Funeral services were private at Carolina Memorial Park.
Wilkinson Funeral Home was in charge.

‘Curt’ Anderson Sr.
CONCORD — Curtis Lee “Curt” Anderson Sr., 71, 333 Lincoln St., died Tuesday, April 1, 2008, at CMC-NorthEast.
Born March 13, 1937, in Cabarrus County, he was the son of the late John Thomas and Annie Trummell Anderson.
Survivors include sons Curtis Lee Anderson Jr. and Willie Anderson, both of Concord; daughters Ann Wilson, Concord, and Jean Cannon of Statesville; sisters Georgia Mae Cummings, Augusta, Ga., and Annie Jean Anderson, Concord; and six grandchildren.
A service was held Wednesday, April 9, 2008, at New Birth Christian Center, Concord, conducted by the Rev. R.J. Brown.
Lamb Funeral Home was in charge.

Ray ‘Bud’ Bostian
SALISBURY — Ray Junior “Bud” Bostian, 88, of Salisbury, died Monday, April 7, 2008, at Genesis Eldercare.
Born Dec. 25, 1919, in Rowan County, he was a son of the late Maude Bowles and Columbus Sloan Bostian. He was educated in the Rowan County schools and was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He retired from Cannon Mills after 30 years of service and was also a farmer.
He was a member of Friendship Baptist Church and was active in Campers on Mission and Habitat for Humanity. He built Pecan Crackers and was a founding member of East Rowan Saddle Club.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Robbie Miller Bostian, on April 29, 1980, and second wife, Geneva Byerly Bostian, on Feb. 12, 1991; son, Kenneth Bostian; and a grandson.
Survivors include his third wife, Irene Angell Jordan Bostian, whom he married June 1991; daughters Kristy Burleyson, Salisbury, and Karen Watkins, Lilburn, Ga.; stepdaughters Louise Culp, Kannapolis, and Phyllis Hamilton, Advance; stepsons Jerry Jordan, Danville, Va., Gene Jordan, Concord, and Jan Jordan, Mount Holly; brother Bill Bostian of Richfield; sisters Teetle Trexler of Liberty and Kate Lingle of Granite Quarry; nine grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; 11 step-grandchildren; and 11 step-great-grandchildren.
A service was held Thursday, April 10, 2008, at Friendship Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Jason Pierce. Burial, Immanuel Lutheran Church Cemetery.
Memorials: Habitat for Humanity, 316 Depot St., Salisbury, NC 28144 or Friendship Baptist Church, 100 Porter Rd., Salisbury, NC 28146.
Lyerly Funeral Home was in charge.

Roy McClamrock Jr.
ROCKWELL — Roy Sanford McClamrock Jr., 80, 1195 Turlington Lane, died Sunday, April 6, 2008, at CMC-NorthEast.
Born Jan. 12, 1928, in Davie County, he was the son of the late Roy S. and Lillian C. McClamrock. He was a truck driver with Byrd Motor Lines for 14 years.
He was a member of Central Baptist Church, Kannapolis.
Survivors include his wife of 32 years, Ruby Horne McClamrock; children Cindy Carter, Rockwell, April Crest, Akron, Ohio, and Wendy Macy, Von McClamrock and Becky Booe, all of Mocksville; brothers Cortez McClamrock, Winston-Salem, and Donnie McClamrock, Lynchburg, Va.; and five grandchildren.
A service was held Thursday, April 10, 2008, at Whitley’s Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Curtis Parker and the Rev. Allen Reid. Burial, Carolina Memorial Park.
Memorials: Central Baptist Church, 1810 Moose Road, Kannapolis, NC 28083.

Diane C. Sawyer
CONCORD — Diane Cable Sawyer, 51, 2822 S. Ridge Ave., died Tuesday, April 8, 2008, at CMC-NorthEast, Concord, after a lengthy illness.
Born Nov. 13, 1956, in Cabarrus County, she was a daughter of the late William J. and Maxine Cloninger Cable. She was a 1975 graduate of A.L. Brown High School.
Survivors include her husband of 22 years, David E. Sawyer; and brother Dennis Cable, Kannapolis.
A service was held Thursday, April 10, 2008, at Jackson Park Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. John Estes. Burial, Carolina Memorial Park.
Memorials: Jackson Park Baptist Church, 1005 Jackson St., Kannapolis, NC 28083.
Whitley’s Funeral Home was in charge.

Emma McManus
GREENSBORO — Emma Pugh McManus, 93, of Greensboro and Zephyrhills, Fla., formerly of Kannapolis, passed away in Zephyrhills Wednesday, April 2, 2008, after a brief illness.
Born Nov. 19, 1914, in New Bern, she was a daughter of the late Charles T. and Lily Mitchell Pugh. She was a longtime area resident and was a member of Midway Methodist Church. She worked in sales for J.C. Penney and then as credit manager for Montgomery Ward. Later, she worked as a credit manager for K-Town Furniture until her retirement in 1978. She was active in Credit Professional International, having served at one time as president. In Zephryhills, she was past High Priestess of Cairo Court 97 for the Ladies of the Oriental Shrine and a member of Eastern Star.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ferry Adams McManus, who died March 5, 1975.
Survivors include daughter Patricia Hilton of Greensboro; son Terry Allen McManus of Zephyrhills; and brother David S. Pugh of New Bern.
Service: 2 p.m. today, April 16, 2008, at Whitley’s Funeral Home Chapel, conducted by the Rev. Don Noblitt. Burial, Carolina Memorial Park.
Visitation: 1 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Sara R. Peck
CONCORD — Sara Rush Bost Peck, 78, of The Gardens of Taylor Glen, died Friday morning after a longtime battle with pulmonary fibrosis.
Born July 25, 1929, in Cabarrus County, she was a daughter of the late Fred Rush and Zelia Blackwelder Bost. She attended Concord High School, graduated from Broughton High School in Raleigh and attended Mary Washington College.
She was a member of Central United Methodist Church and a sustaining member of the Junior Charity League.
She was preceded in death by her sons, Lewis B. Peck III and Julius Gray Peck.
Survivors include her husband, Lewis B. “Pete” Peck Jr., Concord; daughter Sallie Bost Peck, Concord; two grandsons; and a great-granddaughter.
A service was held Monday, April 14, 2008, at Central United Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. Andy Langford and the Rev. Reta Steck. Burial, Carolina Memorial Park.
Memorials: Central United Methodist Church, Capital Improvement Fund, 30 Union St. N., Concord NC 28025 or to Baptist Retirement Homes, Benevolent Fund, 1199 Hayes Forest Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27106.
Wilkinson Funeral Home was in charge.

Dorothy R. Smith
Dorothy Rapson Smith, 70, of Kannapolis, died Tuesday, April 8, 2008, at CMC-NorthEast.
Born April 26, 1937, in New Haven, Conn., she retired from K-Mart, Kannapolis. She was of the Baptist faith.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Francis C. Smith, who died Aug. 30, 2007, and a son, Michael Smith.
Survivors include son Norman Smith, Kannapolis; stepson Fred Smith, California; stepdaughter Fran McGee, New York; and one grandson.
A service was held Thursday, April 10, 2008, at Whitley’s Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Tim McQueen. Burial, West Lawn Memorial Park, China Grove.

Chad K. Williams
Chad Kinsel Williams, 24, 120 Tanglewood Drive, Kannapolis, died Thursday, April 10, 2008, at Duke University Medical Center in Durham.
Born July 11, 1983, in Cabarrus County, he was the son of Kim Shue Oliver and the late Todd Kinsel Williams. He was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.
Survivors, in addition to his mother, include his wife, Sandra McCracken Williams; daughter Autumn Williams; sons, Noah and Justice Williams; sister Megan Williams of Wilmington; grandparents June and Bobby Williams and Ray Shue, all of Kannapolis.
A service was held Sunday, April 13, 2008, at Lady’s Funeral Home. Burial, West Lawn Memorial Park, China Grove.

‘Polly’ Younts
CONCORD — Florence “Polly” Younts, 91, former longtime resident of Linden Avenue, died at Avante of Concord April 8, 2008.
Born June 8, 1917, in Cabarrus County, she was the oldest and last living child of Luther Lee and Hattie Griffin Thompson. She was a member of Harmony United Methodist Church and the Vic Ann Sunday School Class. She graduated from Hartsell High School.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Marvin Luther Younts.
Survivors include her daughter, Rosemary Winecoff, Concord; son Dennis Younts, Matthews; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
A service was held Saturday, April 12, 2008, at Harmony United Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. Andrea Conder and the Rev. Don Noblitt. Burial, Carolina Memorial Park.
Memorials: Harmony UMC, 90 Eden St,, Concord NC 28027.
Wilkinson Funeral Home was in charge.

Obituary policy
The Kannapolis Citizen accepts obituaries only from funeral homes. If you would like to see your loved one’s obituary in the Kannapolis Citizen, please direct the home to send obituaries to news@kannapoliscitizen .com or fax to 704-933-3453.

RCCC plans to meet Research Campus employer needs

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (RCCC) is planning a certification program and assessing the need for an associate degree program in clinical research.
Such programs will prepare students to work as clinical research technicians or assistants, typical jobs being created by the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis.
The N.C. Research Campus announced at an April 9 news conference that PPD Inc., a global contract research company, plans to lease a 40,000-square-foot facility on the campus, creating 200-300 new jobs.
The continuing education clinical research certificate program being planned by RCCC and the potential associate degree program will meet a primary workforce need of organizations like PPD.
“RCCC is working with North Carolina BioNetwork staff from the BioEducation Center at Gaston College to develop a new certification program that will be offered through our Continuing Education department. This program will train students for entry-level positions within clinical research organizations,” explained Jeanie Moore, RCCC vice president of continuing education.
“The college also is conducting a feasibility study of the region to measure local industry needs, as a first step in planning an associate degree program in clinical research. PPD’s plans at the North Carolina Research Campus will be a significant part of our assessment,” Moore added.
RCCC currently offers associate degree programs in biotechnology and agricultural biotechnology.
The AAS program in biotechnology will prepare students for jobs in biotechnology research and development. Program graduates may pursue employment as lab technicians, research assistants and quality control associates, and work with different types of employers, including small testing labs to large manufacturers, biotech companies, government laboratories and research universities.
The AAS program in agricultural biotechnology is designed to meet the increasing demand for skilled laboratory technicians in various fields of biological, chemical and agricultural technology. The program will prepare graduates to serve as research assistants to biologists and chemists, laboratory technicians and instrumentation technicians, and quality control/quality assurance technicians.
Graduates may pursue positions with various industry, university and government employers, including jobs in research and development, manufacturing, sales, customer service and the production of bioengineered crops.
RCCC also offers the 132-hour “BioWork” course through its Continuing Education department. BioWork is an introductory course combining the basics of manufacturing technology and the fundamentals of science. BioWork gives students a broad overview of the biotechnology industry.
A study commissioned by the city of Kannapolis in 2006 projects 2,220 new biotech-related jobs will come to the region by the end of 2008 and more than 13,900 such jobs by 2032. According to the study, the research campus also will stimulate job growth in other employment sectors.

Actions have consequences
The Century Council brings moving story to A.L. Brown High School

By Joanne Gonnerman
Kannapolis Citizen
Junior and senior students at A.L. Brown High School heard a valuable lesson last week. The instructor wasn’t a licensed teacher. In fact, he never attended college. He couldn’t. A permanent brain injury caused by an automobile crash while driving drunk changed his life forever.
Brandon Silveria and his father, Tony, delivered a poignant message about the consequences of underage drinking and drunken driving. They shared their story so that other teenagers can see firsthand the results of making a bad choice.
It was in March a little more than 21 years ago when Brandon Silveria chose to drive himself and several friends home after attending a party and consuming alcohol. Despite grazing a guardrail and having difficulty keeping his eyes open and focused, Silveria continued driving. Jay, the last friend dropped off, asked the 17-year-old Silveria if he was OK to drive the short distance home. Silveria said yes. The alcohol said no and the intoxicated teen crashed into a tree.
His parents, Tony and Shirley Silveria, received the telephone call every parent fears.
“Mr. and Mrs. Silveria, your son has been in a car wreck.”

Read more

Rutledge had lasting impact on his community

By Joanie Morris
Kannapolis Citizen
When Carlyle Rutledge turned 97, he reflected on his life in a newspaper article.
He’s done many things — both great and not so great.
One of those not so great moments was failing the bar exam on his first try.
“That was the biggest disappointment of my life,” Rutledge said at the time. He didn’t realize that the bar would be soaked in North Carolina law, something he didn’t study in law school. “Oh, what a disappointment.”
That disappointment turn ed into something great. Because he failed the bar, he went to work for a law office in Charlotte. It was there he met a law secretary named Judith Kuykendal.
“I began seeing her regularly there,” Rutledge recalled. “If nobody was around, I may have tried to snitch a kiss behind the door or something.”
That was the beginning of what would become the story of one of the most influential people in Kannapolis.
Rutledge married Judith and they had three children. Along the way, he did many things, often including Judith and the rest of his family.
Rutledge, 98, died last Thursday morning at 11:45 a.m. at Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast after battling illness for about a week.
His daughters, Martha Rutledge Macon and Polly Rutledge Trott, both agreed Rutledge had many important things in his life, but one of the most important may have been the Kannapolis Rotary Club. Rutledge joined Rotary when he was 34, three months after the club was formed. In the 64 years of service he had with the club, he had perfect attendance. Three weeks ago, he even made up a meeting on a cruise ship in order to maintain that status.
The daughters recalled great moments in life with their father, many centered on that Rotary Club.
“The first tune I ever remember singing was (off a) wind-up music box and the little chimes sang, ‘R-O-T-A-R-Y, That spells Rotary,’ over and over,” said Macon. “I remember him going to these meetings out of town because he would come back with neat stuff.”
As a Rotarian, Rutledge served as club president and District Governor. He endowed the club with the J. Carlyle Rutledge Lifetime Service to Rotary Award, in which the honoree (a Rotarian) is given $1,000 to donate to a local charity, and served in various other capacities in the club, and was named a Paul Harris Fellow.
Rotary played a big part in his political career, too, Macon added.
“Oh, the Four Way Test,” Macon said, referring to a litmus test offered by Rotary to see if what Rotarians think, say and do is good for everyone. “When he started to run for office, he would go through and put out all those fours.”
“A big part of his life was Rotary,” Trott agreed.
Kannapolis Rotary President Lorna Felts said Thursday afternoon that the day was “a very sad day for the Kannapolis Rotary Club.”
“Carlyle lived his life by the Rotary motto, ‘Service above self’ and he will be missed by everyone who knew him,” she said. “Our club was very fortunate to have him as a member for (almost) 65 years, and I feel very fortunate to have known him and called him a friend.”
Rutledge was a citizen of Kannapolis beginning with his law practice in 1935. He had come to the town first, asking A.L. Brown if he could open a practice here. Brown told him that he would starve to death if he tried to open a practice in Kannapolis.
“Later he changed his mind,” said Rutledge in an interview in 2006, just short of his 97th birthday.
That was because Brown’s sister was Rutledge’s aunt, the late Mrs. John Rutledge.
Macon and Trott also recalled Rutledge’s devotion to his wife. He married Judith Kuykendal in 1938 and was married for 56 years, prior to her death in 1993. Together, they had three children — Martha, Jim and Polly — 12 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
“The devotion to our mother was renowned,” said Trott. After she was diagnosed with a brain tumor and had to be moved to the Methodist Home in Charlotte, “he made sure she was never sedentary in the nursing home. He took her out to movies. … Put her in the wheelchair and rolled her everywhere.”
Rutledge used to drive to Charlotte every weekend and pick up his wife on Fridays, bring her home and drive her back on Sunday afternoons.
At his funeral on Sunday, members of the community, his family and even Bishop Bevel Jones III from Atlanta, Ga., recalled that devotion.
Jones spoke about the first time he had seen Carlyle Rutledge at the Methodist Home in Charlotte. He was pushing a woman through the halls and out to the car. The woman was Judith, and Jones immediately knew he had to meet that man.
Throughout his life, he served on many boards and contributed greatly to the town he called home. In 1941, he was elected to the state House of Representatives, where he served two terms. He served in the N.C. Senate from 1957 to 1961, three terms.
During that time, Macon said, two of the things he was most proud of were public television funding and the N.C. Institute of Government, which was in its infancy.
“It was a model,” Macon said.
During his tenure on the legislature, he was also on the committee that worked to plan and build the new Legislative Building in Raleigh.
Kannapolis Mayor Bob Misenheimer, a former principal and teacher in Kannapolis, said he and Rutledge “go way back.”
Misenheimer remembered a trip he took with his social studies class to Raleigh when Rutledge was serving.
“In that group was his son, Jim,” Misenheimer recalled. “When we got there, he was in the Senate and he rose and asked the lieutenant governor to extend to this class of eighth-graders from J.W. Cannon Junior High School all the rights and privileges of visitors, and they recognized us.
“We, of course, appreciated that very much,” Misenheimer said. “I hadn’t had that good of treatment before or since.”
In the community, Rutledge received North Carolina’s highest civilian honor, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine; endowed the Village Park children’s train; endowed five $2,500 annual scholarships to seniors at A.L. Brown High School; endowed a conference room and Memorial Healing Garden at Hospice of Cabarrus County; donated countless dollars to charities and churches in the area, including his church, Trinity United Methodist Church; served on the YMCA board of directors and in other capacities at the YMCA; was past president of the Cabarrus County Bar Association, practicing law for more than 50 years; and was admitted to the Supreme Court Bar in 2002. He also served on the board of trustees at Brevard College for 27 years and received the first Brevard College Medallion of Honor for lifelong dedication and service to Brevard College.
He was president and founder of Kannapolis Real Estate Agency for more than 50 years; president of the GEM Theatre; president for 32 years of Terry Products Inc.; and a member of the board of directors for China Grove Cotton Mills for many years. He was a founding partner of Rutledge, Friday, Safrit and Smith.
Everyone has a favorite memory of Rutledge, but Macon and Trott both agree that a memory that may stick out most in the minds of family members was something that happened at Christmas.
“One of the things he would do for the family was he learned a poem from somewhere and he didn’t know that much in the way of remembering things,” said Trott. “He would do this every Christmas. He would recite the poem. He did it for us when we were little, and he did it for our children and now for the great-grandchildren.
“He never said it again all year long,” Trott added. “He only said it at Christmas. That definitely would be a favorite memory that all of us have.”
For Trott, who lives in Connecticut, one of her personal favorite memories will always be coming back to North Carolina to visit with her father. Sometimes, she would visit with other family late into the night and get home at midnight or later.
“When I would come in and visit and stay at dad’s, he would always wake up and want me to come talk,” Trott recalled. “Sometimes we would talk for one or two hours.”
Those midnight conversations will stick out in Trott’s memory, just as singing the Rotary song will stick out in Macon’s memory and members of the community will always remember the good things he did for the community and his devotion to his wife.
Rutledge is survived by his three children, Martha, Jim and Polly, their spouses, 12 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He also left behind a special friend, Virginia Styles Price.
Funeral services for Rutledge were held Sunday at Trinity United Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. Judy White, the Rev. Erin Yow and Bishop Bevel Jones III. Burial was at Carolina Memorial Park.
Contact Joanie Morris at 704-932-3336 or jmorris@ kannapoliscitizen.com.

Kannapolis Education Foundation to roast Bob and Carolyn Tucker

The Kannapolis Education Foundation has selected Bob and Carolyn Tucker as the honorees for this year’s seventh annual Celebrity Roast fundraising event. The roast will be Thursday, April 24, at Shoe Show Inc. headquarters, 2201 Trinity Church Road, and will begin at 6 p.m.
All expenses for the roast are covered by the presenting sponsor, First Charter Bank, so the ticket price of $75 is fully tax deductible. The Kannapolis Education Foundation uses proceeds from the roast to support the needs of students and teachers in Kannapolis City Schools.
This year’s honorees were chosen because of their long service to their church, family and community and for successfully building a hometown business, Shoe Show, into a nationwide company. Shoe Show is the largest privately owned shoe company in the United States.
The Tuckers attended A.L. Brown High School. They were high school sweethearts and married after Bob’s graduation in 1957. Bob worked at Baucom’s Shoes during high school, and he and Mr. Baucom opened Self Service Shoe Store in Concord. After 18 months, Bob sold his third to Mr. Baucom. In 1960, instead of following his stepfather into the restaurant business, Bob opened the first Shoe Show on Main Street in Kannapolis. Over the years, Carolyn has taken a leadership role in the business, and they have built Shoe Show into a business which employs approximately 8,500 people.
Shoe Show now has 1,100 stores in 36 states and opens at least one store each week. The Tuckers also acquired the bankrupt Burlington Shoes, and have turned those stores into the Shoe Dept. Today, Bob and Carolyn Tucker manage an expanding 925,000-square-foot headquarters in Concord and have annual sales of more than $800 million.
Carolyn graduated from Rowan Technical Institute with an associate degree in business administration and from American Business and Fashion Institute in Charlotte, where she taught small business management and personal development.
Besides running their successful business, the Tuckers are devoted to their family and community. They have four children who work in the business. The family gives to many charitable organizations including Cooperative Christian Ministry, Bible Teaching Association, Hospice, Salvation Army, Wycliffe Bible Translators, JAARS, CVAN, Crisis Pregnancy of Cabarrus County and the Arc of Cabarrus County.
They have donated to Gardner-Webb University, and Carolyn Tucker has served for many years on the Board of Directors of the Kannapolis Education Foundation and the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army. They attend North Kannapolis Baptist Church, where they both teach Sunday school.
Anyone wishing to attend the roast on April 24 may call 704-938-1131 for tickets. Contributions may also be mailed to 100 Denver St., Kannapolis NC 28083.

Marty Lineberger shows off his talent at Art Council Galleries

By Hugh Fisher
Kannapolis Citizen
Marty Lineberger teaches art at Shady Brook and Fred L. Wilson elementary schools in Kannapolis.
But when he’s not teaching his young artists how to sculpt clay, work with construction paper or draw portraits, he has an art career of his own.
Lineberger is one of 21 teachers from schools in Cabarrus County who were invited to participate in “Practice What They Teach,” a juried art exhibition on display through May 3 at the galleries of the historic Cabarrus County Courthouse.
The two worlds of his life inform each other, Lineberger said.
“Being a teacher has helped me to be a better artist,” he said.
The show is hosted by the Cabarrus Arts Council. Pat Verner, the council’s program director, said that the exhibition of local teachers’ works had drawn an enthusiastic response from the community.
“I hope people will see that teachers are artists in their own right,” Verner said.
About 430 people came to see the teachers and their works during an evening Art Walk reception last month, according to Lin Barnhardt, visual arts director for the Cabarrus Arts Council.
Art teachers from Kannapolis City and Cabarrus County school districts were invited to submit works, as were art teachers from First Assembly and Cannon School.
Lineberger was the only Kannapolis teacher who participated. Two of his works are on display at the courthouse gallery.
One is a painting from a series of watercolors called “Fragments of a Rural Past,” which recreates scenes from his youth — the fading farm trucks and implements on his grandmother’s farm in Fallston.
“When the old trucks and equipment wore out … they would park them down in the apple orchard,” Lineberger said.
In this painting, framed with boards from a century-old farmhouse that was recently demolished, Lineberger presents the image of an old pickup truck.
His other work on display is a self-portrait done in graphite and watercolor pencil, an example of what Lineberger said is his favorite type of artwork.
“I love doing portraits, watching a person’s face come to life off the paper.”
His knack for drawing faces was one of the artistic talents that set him apart back when he was an elementary school artist himself.
“I was in the fourth grade when a teacher first told me that I had talent. They would pull me out of class, specially, to come help do bulletin boards,” he said.
After growing up in Fallston, he earned a two-year degree from Cleveland Community College in Shelby.
And — after further encouragement from high school and college teachers — he decided that he wanted to teach art to children.
A few years later, after earning a bachelor of fine arts degree and a teaching certificate at UNC-Charlotte, he took a job in Stanly County. He came to work in Kannapolis in 2003 to be closer to his home.
In his classrooms, Lineberger said, he makes a point of introducing his students to many different types of art, and why he reinforces those skills year after year.
He also has recently reintroduced fiber arts — that is, weaving — in his classroom.
But teaching art in elementary school is a challenge. Due to the large amount required of students these days, Lineberger does not see all of his students every week.
That doesn’t stop him from being dedicated to his job or from learning along with his students.
“There are days that I do a project in class that I think about doing at home,” he said.
Some of the simplest art techniques he teaches to elementary school kids — like chalk on paper, or pencil and pen drawings — can be used to create complex and interesting works.
His primary focus in the classroom is on finding the individual student’s abilities — the same process of experimentation that has led him to his own art career.
“They may not be able to draw, but they may be good with construction paper or clay.”
“The main thing I try to teach is that they all have talent. They just have to look for it.”
Contact Hugh Fisher at 704-933-3450 or hfisher@kannapoliscitizen.com.

Next Page »