Letters

Great leadership on school board
The accomplishments of the Kannapolis City School system over the past decade are too much for me to list in this article.
The accomplishments are a direct result of the leadership provided by the elected board members, chaired by Lee Efird, Superintendent Dr. Jo Anne Byerly, the principals, teachers and employees. They all work together as a team to ensure the children receive the best opportunities possible in education.
Personally, I have never heard one word over the years from any of this group referring to their efforts as being about “I, me, etc.,” but only about teamwork.
As a lifelong resident of Kannapolis and having served this community for many years in some capacity (23 consecutive years as a member of school PTAs and PTOs, I believe is the Kannapolis school record), I personally feel compelled to say thank you and commend our Kannapolis City School leadership from Mr. Lee Efird down to the employees in the system. Your devotion, dedication and loyalty to our children is appreciated!
On May 6, Election Day, please join me and my wife in voting for Lee Efird, Doris Buchanan and Charles Mitchell for the Kannapolis City School Board of Education.
— Richard Anderson
Kannapolis

Efird is capable
I have known Kannapolis School Board’s chairman, Lee Efird, since he was a very young man. He is a personal friend of my sons, an Eagle Scout, one of my former students and a dedicated church and community leader. I have never heard a derogatory word spoken about this man, who has spent his entire life in service to Kannapolis. What can be gained by changing a knowledgeable and successful board’s chairman?
Efird’s challenger only seems to question two issues:
(1) Election of a “parent” to the board. Has he not read Mr. Efird’s family background? Check the facts!
(2) Space planning for future growth of schools in the Kannapolis district — especially at the high school level. Is Mr. Adams not aware that plans are already on the board’s agenda and are only awaiting monies from the Board of County Commissioners?
Dr. Debra Morris is principal of our local high school. She was hired by the present board to lead this school. It should be noted that she has recently been named the top principal in the entire state of North Carolina! Morris has to work closely with the Board of Education and to communicate what she sees as needs there. This issue certainly involves future incoming space and program needs at the high school level.
I encourage everyone to go the polls on May 6, and re-elect Lee Efird to lead our Kannapolis City School Board. There is no other Rowan County resident more capable or willing to spend the time and working knowledge this service takes.
— Rachel K. Edmiston
Kannapolis

Vets like Stanley
As I was the first president of our homeowners’ association here at Settlers Ridge, I worked closely with my first vice-chair to get our community off to a good start regardless of the opposition we faced by the developers.
As a fellow veteran, he invited me to his weekly coffee group of veterans on Thursday mornings at Pat’s Kitchen in Mooresville, “The Little Patriot.”
There we met vets from World War II, Korea, Vietnam and through the current conflicts — a place of living history. Most are seniors, and many have war-inflicted disabilities.
I came to appreciate his concern for vets and seniors and to know him for a friend and involved individual in  his neighborhood, homeowners’ association, the Democratic Party as executive secretary and on the steering committee of the NCVets.org.
That’s why I and our neighbors support John H. Stanley for the NC 83rd Assembly District, a Vietnam era veteran himself, here in Cabarrus County. He’s involved and he cares about us.
— Richard W Seibert Sr.
Kannapolis

Vote for Barry
I would like to ask the people of Kannapolis, Concord, Mount Pleasant, Midland, Harrisburg and Cabarrus County to vote for my friend, Barry Richards, in the upcoming Democratic primary for the 83rd House seat in the N.C. House of Representatives.
He has helped me for more than 10 years in delivering my meals to thousands of people on Christmas Day. In fact, I could not deliver the meals without his help. He plans all the deliveries for me and supports me on Christmas Day. Without him, the meals would not get delivered.
If Barry is elected, I am sure that he would support the people and help them in Cabarrus County the same way he has supported me and my Christmas dinners in the past. Barry will understand the ordinary person because he has worked with them in the past and understands their needs. He will prove his loyalty to the people if you vote for him. He will make an excellent representative.
So please, go out and vote for Barry on May 6.
— Jimmy Murphy
Concord
Editor’s note: Murphy is founder and organizer of Jimmy Murphy’s Christmas Dinner.