Gibsonville mayor Leonard “Lenny” Williams this week made it official: he’s stepping down after 23 years as the town’s mayor on January 26 which will be one day after his 91st birthday In a one-paragraph letter on January 8 to the town manager and his colleagues on the board Williams set his resignation date as “beginning January 26.” Williams had been most recently re-elected in November 2023 to a sixth But he had announced at a board of aldermen meeting in August that he would probably retire at the end of 2024 although he added a caveat at the time that he “could change my mind.” A retirement reception is now scheduled for Saturday at the Gibsonville Community Center located 314 Tenth Street a retirement dinner is also scheduled for Saturday was for two years to complete a partial mayoral term; he defeated fellow board member Sandy Moulton who had been appointed the previous year on a 3-2 vote after long-time mayor Bill Moricle died in office The mayor had said August he did not like missing meetings of the board and revealed at that time that he has had some recent health issues “It’s time for somebody else to take over time for somebody younger to take over,” he said in a brief interview with The Alamance News after the meeting [Story continues below special subscription offer.] MORE LOCAL NEWS – EVERY WEEK than you’ll find anywhere else AND at a better rate than you’ll find anywhere else: $50 for one year (And if you’re in Alamance County or either side of Gibsonville those prices include a print edition by mail Williams has served as mayor since 2001 and served as a member of the board of aldermen for eight years (two terms) prior to that He also served earlier as a member of the town’s planning board for five years [Story continues below photo collage of Williams’ service.] who held the position from 1913-1933 (20 years) and William F Moricle who was mayor from 1985-2000 (15 years) when the Internal Revenue Service transferred him to work in its Greensboro office “Gibsonville has been fair and good to me,” the mayor said at the time said he had found no racial issues or animosity Williams has often won against white candidates in a town that is two-thirds white In only two of his seven mayoral races (including 2023) has he run unopposed Williams has often been a budget hawk on the board consistently urging that the tax rate be kept low or lowered further and often working to rein in spending ideas of town staff and some of his colleagues was 64 cents per $100 valuation when he was first elected Williams recalled during the August interview that his father was a sharecropper near Enfield in eastern North Carolina Williams attended North Carolina A&T in Greensboro Gibsonville did not have such a good reputation He also interrupted his studies at A&T to attend Fairleigh Dickinson in New Jersey before graduation Williams began work with the Internal Revenue Service in 1961 which ultimately sent him to its Greensboro office in 1984 By the first year after his and wife Connie’s arrival Gibsonville neighbors recruited him to be on the town’s planning board “I’ve never lost an election.”  Williams has also received the state’s highest civilian honor “I’ve had a good time working as mayor,” Williams said in a subsequent August phone interview CORRECTION: The original version of this article contained the the wrong name of one of the businesses A line of pink could be seen down West Main Street as local women gathered for Gibsonville Girls Night on April 4 The event only happens once in the fall and in the spring.  The event was started because of … well women a contracted economic development director for the small town; Wanda Small owner of All She Wrote Notes; noticed that there were many female-owned small businesses in downtown Gibsonville.  “We were looking to come together and do something fun as girls,” Dickey said “But also do something fun for the girls of Gibsonville.” Dickey said a majority of the retail shops make their rent that month within the three-hour window of the event She said it’s the businesses that really show out that make this event all the different.  “Just seeing the success of the stores themselves and hearing many people say I didn’t know this store was there,’” Dickey said.  The Vintage Sisters is a vintage and antique shop Gibsonville natives Debbie Porch and her two sisters opened Vintage Sisters just a year ago this past February This year they are giving away baked goods to customers and raffling off a blue and white antique tea pot She said they try to make it a special night for the ladies.  Porch said her favorite part is getting to see old friends and make new ones along the way Gibsonville Girls Night is also one of the few times her mother joins them at the shop.  Jacqui Harris stopped by downtown Gibsonville earlier to buy her bright neon pink t-shirt with the Gibsonville Girl printed but with the weather hiking up to 86 degrees yesterday she knew she had to run a quick errand into town.  had just retired and moved to Gibsonville in October marking this her first Gibsonville Girls Night In fact Harris made her husband tag along with her as they strolled downtown Harris said everyone is so friendly and she has enjoyed shopping for herself and her daughters.  Through humid and hot weather to a possible hurricane passing Dickey said she enjoys putting on the event Once it hits 5 o’clock she can put on her pink t-shirt and enjoy the festivities.  “It’s fun just to have an excuse for the women here to come and show out and be girly,” Dickey said.  Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application at Alamance Regional Medical Center after battling congestive heart failure Leonard was the son of the late John Terrell Mangum Leonard was married for over 35 years to the love of his life Leonard was a proud veteran of the US Army serving during the Vietnam War and later in the Army Reserves as a Lt He retired as a consultant for the NC Department of Labor and was an engineering graduate of NC State University Leonard loved Jesus and was a man of faith He was an active member of Gibsonville United Methodist Church where he served for many years teaching Sunday School and doing maintenance for the church or for church and community members in need especially college football and basketball and he loved watching the NC State Women’s basketball team and would travel to see them play when he was able he was a big family man and loved family history and spending time with family and friends – he almost never missed a reunion or friend lunch group or family get together Lisa May and Melissa May Wagoner and his grandchildren A service to celebrate Leonard’s life will be held at 2:00 PM Saturday 2025 at Gibsonville United Methodist Church by Rev Carol Carkin with the committal to follow at Alamance Memorial Park The family will receive friends from 1:00 – 1:45 prior to the service at the church memorials may be made to Gibsonville United Methodist Church; 501 Church St NC 27249 or online at https://www.gibsonvilleumc.org/giving.html Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors State Government websites value user privacy. To learn more, view our full privacy policy A lock icon or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the official website Guilford County’s park system encompasses a wide range of facilities The Parks Department currently provide event centers The trail system is comprised of a diverse network of trails and greenways throughout Guilford County including hiking Trail users can choose from an array of trails; flat or elevated The parks system is comprised of seven (7) regional parks In addition to over 4,500 acres of open space These facilities attract over 700,000 visitors annually.  Guilford County Farm’s annual plant sale will kick off on Thursday 3441 Northeast Park DriveGibsonville, NC 27249336-641-2070Use 4010 High Rock Road for GPS purposes.View Park Map (PDF) Paddle Access and Blueway Map (PDF) 6309 Southwest Park DriveGreensboro, NC 27407336-641-2050Use 3403 Wall Road for GPS purposes.View Park Map (PDF) Directions More Information Directions Park Map Geo-referenced Park Map More Information 2279 Britton St.Greensboro, NC 27406DirectionsPreserve Map 5780 Plowfield RoadMcLeansville, NC 27301DirectionsPreserve Map 7415 Brooks Bridge RoadGibsonville, NC 27249DirectionsPreserve Map 7359 Goodwill Church RoadKernersville, NC 27284DirectionsPreserve Map 6334 Company Mill RoadClimax, NC 27233DirectionsPreserve Map 7315 Howerton RoadGibsonville, NC 27244DirectionsVolunteer The preserve is adjacent to Southern Guilford High School and Southern Guilford Elementary School Southern Guilford High School5700 Drake RoadGreensboro Southern Guilford Elementary School5720 Drake RoadGreensboro 407 W. Parris Ave.High Point, NC 27262DirectionsPreserve Map 368 Plainfield RoadGreensboro, NC 27455DirectionsPreserve Map Parking can be found across the street at Southern Guilford High School Preserve Map 1601 Potts Ave.High Point, NC 27260DirectionsPreserve Map Sign Up for County News Gibsonville’s aldermen are moving ahead with plans to purchase the former Dixie Belle mill along Eugene Street in the downtown area During a special meeting in closed session on September 20 the board considered the property for possible downtown parking and other The board agreed during the closed session to offer $400,000 for the property “We’re going to see what’s salvageable,” he told the newspaper in an interview this week The westernmost portion of the building has had a roof collapse which has prompted the town to rope off parts of Eugene and Wharton streets for fear that the walls at that end of the building In addition to the possibility that the unstable portion would be torn down for a town-owned parking lot Baxley said other potential uses for the 78,060 square-foot-building are “to be determined.” told the aldermen during the closed session in September that because of the mill’s current condition the fire department would not enter the building should there be a fire according to minutes from that meeting released this week The board agreed during its September closed meeting to contract with Sean Dowell to act as the agent on behalf of the town The contract allows 30 days for due diligence and 30 days to close which was a cornerstone of Gibsonville’s vibrant textile history for decades the issue arose on this week’s board of aldermen agenda because the board agreed to a resolution exempting potential engineering services from the state’s requirements for seeking bids for such services Because the anticipated price of the engineering and design-build services is less than $50,000 the state-mandated threshold for requiring bids Baxley asked the board to approve the resolution exempting the solicitation and evaluation of firms to perform “design services” from the bid requirements of state law Papa Rick stepped into the arms of Jesus during the early morning hours of November 14th 2024 Born on May 12th 1958 to the late Ruby Carl “Dee” and Irene Murray Rickey Lee Murray was a lifelong resident of Gibsonville North Carolina He will be greatly missed by his 5 grandchildren Rick was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Dean Murray Rick graduated from Northeast Guilford High School in 1978 and later received an engineering degree from Alamance Community College Rick was an engineer for Duke Power and retired from Duke Energy in 2020 He and his business partner and friend Hubert Penland also started Creekside Auction Company Rick was a licensed auctioneer for many years his hobby of collecting farm toys was his true passion Rick began collecting toy tractors as a child and bragged to local tv reporter Roy Ackland that he “hoped to still have holes in the knees of my blue jeans from playing with tractors as an old man.” Amassing one of the largest collections on the east coast Rick was inducted in the National Farm Toy Hall of Fame in 2015 and he was a member of the International Harvester Collectors of NC Chapter 42 He did much for the farm toy collecting community and hosted along with his friends the Tarheel Farm Toy Show and Auction for 32 years The greatest gift Rick leaves behind for his family and friends is the assurance of his faith in Jesus Christ He was a member of Apple’s Chapel Christian Church One of the last things Rick said from his hospital bed was “I’m ready to go.” When asked where he wanted to go his response was “Heaven.” Blessed Assurance A visitation will be held at Lowe Funeral Home in Burlington on Sunday The family is also receiving visitors at Rick and Joni’s home The funeral will be held on Monday November 18th at Apples Chapel Christian Church at 2pm by Rev Mike Mitchener with burial to follow in Apple’s Chapel Christian Church Cemetery Memorial contributions can be made in Rick’s honor to Apple’s Chapel Christian Daycare Apple's Chapel Christian Church Cemetery Gibsonville aldermen appear to be satisfied to continue on until the November municipal elections without filling the seat of longtime mayor Lenny Williams had announced his retirement to coincide with the day after his 91st birthday He had served as the town’s mayor for 31 years plus eight earlier years as an alderman on the town board the dais had been compressed by one seat from the left side with mayor pro tem Mark Shepherd seated in the center and presiding Asked about the issue of whether the board would likely appoint a mayor and then fill a vacant board seat – if Shepherd were elevated to the mayor’s post – Shepherd said he felt that the board would likely continue on with five members allowing voters to decide who should be mayor in November Shepherd were to run for the remaining two years left on Williams’ term it would open his own board seat for an election in November aldermen Paul Dean and Bryant Crisp as up for re-election this November Asked of his interest in seeking the mayor’s seat officials there had thought the remaining two-year term of former mayor Kelly Allen who was appointed to the board of commissioners Town council members last month voted to elevate mayor pro tem Lee Lovette to the mayor’s chair when elected officials in North Carolina die or resign before completing their term state law requires that their successor be on the ballot at the next election which for municipalities would be this coming November The initial election is often for two years or the remaining portion of the official’s term with a return to the customary term (typically four years for council seats) the following election told The Alamance News this week that officials with the State Board of Elections have informed the municipality that based on the wording in the town’s charter there will not be an election this fall for mayor Haw River’s charter does not provide for partial terms and so Lovette’s elevation to mayor will be effective through the end of Allen’s original term Haw River’s charter specifies that for both council members and mayor shall be filled for the unexpired term by appointment [by the council].” Lovette’s thus far unfilled council seat will be on the ballot this fall Lighting of the Green will take place in Gibsonville Friday Join us for this classic event and take part in kids entertainment Contact Gibsonville Parks & Recreation with any questions at https://www.gibsonvilleparksandrecreation.com/special-events There will be free parking and shuttle rides at Christian Bible Fellowship 1290 Springwood Church Road in Gibsonville Gibsonville mayor Leonard “Lenny” Williams announced at the end of Monday night’s board of aldermen meeting that he may step down from his post at the end of December – three years early left open the possibility that he “could change my mind,” but told board members he will “probably resign” at the last meeting in December three years before his term expires in 2027 who missed the board’s August 5 meeting earlier this month said he did not like missing meetings of the board and revealed that he has had some recent health issues “Gibsonville has been fair and good to me,” the mayor said Williams recalled that his father was a sharecropper near Enfield in eastern North Carolina neighbors recruited him to be on the town’s planning board “I’ve had a good time working as mayor,” Williams said in a subsequent phone interview Williams also described having refined his intended effective resignation date as likely being January 1 rather than the second meeting of the board in December Gibsonville’s aldermen were grateful this week for the donation of land for a new town water tank – a contribution that will spare the municipality from having to purchase land for its new water receptacle to accept the 1.665-acre site along Powerline Road from developers associated with Edinborough South 7 the development firm which is building Edinborough and Edinborough West – the largest residential subdivisions in the town   The combined projects are expected to bring more than 800 new homes to the town The town has received two grants that it has allocated toward financing the future water tank: $2.8 million from Guilford County and another $1.5 million from the state town officials estimate there is probably a gap of at least $1 million between the $4.3 million they have in hand and the actual cost based on the escalating price tag for construction costs said the project’s timeframe still contemplates completion of the new tank by December 2026 will ultimately replace two smaller tanks that currently serve the town’s residents and businesses while the larger tank downtown can hold 125,000 gallons the new tank will provide more than twice the current capacity of the two existing tanks after the town got its first money from Guilford County officials said it would increase water storage capacity and increase fire flow King told the board of aldermen this week that the existing tanks “likely will eventually come down” after the new tank is operational The town of Gibsonville disciplined one employee – a police sergeant for “creating a hostile work environment” and failing to activate his body-worn camera during a traffic stop – during the 2023-24 fiscal year that ended on June 30 The information was revealed in the town’s response to a public records request by The Alamance News seeking personnel records for all current and former employees who had been subject to disciplinary actions during the 2023-24 fiscal year that ended June 30 requested the personnel information for all current and former city employees who had been dismissed the date on which the public records request was filed with the town of Gibsonville had been placed on unpaid suspension for three days for violating the rules of conduct by creating an abusive work environment and failing to turn on his police bodycam who is the human resources officer for the town of Gibsonville The town’s response to the public records request gave no details about the date of the traffic stop when Sykes failed to activate his police bodycam Nor did it give any details concerning the “hostile work environment” that resulted in his being suspended from work for three days without pay Sykes; suspension actually took effect a month later – on September 25 2023 – according to information that Gerringer provided to The Alamance News two weeks ago Sykes was also placed on a performance improvement plan directed to seek counseling through an employee assistance program and instructed to “apologize to certain officers,” Gerringer said Sykes has worked for the Gibsonville police department since April 29 2014 and is currently employed as a police patrol supervisor The newspaper sought to examine and inspect “all documents regardless of physical form or characteristics made or received pursuant to law or ordinance in connection with the transaction of public business” pertaining to disciplinary actions involving current and former town employees North Carolina law classifies certain types of information in the personnel files of local government employees as public records including: dates of employment; any increase or decrease in compensation; dates and types of any promotion as well as a copy of the final notice of dismissal outlining the reasons for dismissal Gibsonville town officials said no other employees had been disciplined or dismissed during the 2023-24 fiscal year Gibsonville aldermen will resume a consideration about the future of a new town library at their meeting on Monday night mayor Lenny Williams pressed that the town needs to move forward with plans for the new library The town bought property for both a new library and new police station in 2022 The town bought 5.58 acres along Minneola Street for $250,000 in February of that year for a future site of the library the town spent $350,000 for 8.04 acres along Steele Street as the site for a future police station Williams expressed frustration to his colleagues two weeks ago that the police station is moving along while the library is not aldermen described each project as costing about $10 million – the library for about 16,000 square feet has about 2,500 square feet; the current police station operates from within town hall at 129  West Main Street Town manager Ben Baxley told the board that the town has received $1.575 million in grants from the state toward the police station Extension of water lines and a street to reach the future police station site are underway and the town is preparing to begin grading for the site Baxley said that architectural plans had been possible for the police station because of the initial funds already received but that there had been no design work done for the library because there were no funds available to do so Williams expressed frustration with Baxley’s description of a consultant’s consideration of an alternative site for the library at the former Minneola Mill site Williams said that various town officials had undertaken such consideration without his knowledge or involvement and he continually blamed other members of the aldermen board for end-running him by considering an alternative location “I don’t know why we’re looking at the old mill building.” Williams said The mill location was inappropriate for a library because children would have to cross the railroad tracks that bisect the downtown area He also said it was inappropriate to be considering the former mill building when the town had already paid out $250,000 to buy land for a future library on Minneola Street The mayor stressed his view that the town needed to move forward with both the police station and the library “Have you changed your mind [about building the library]?” Williams challenged the board several times Much discussion focused on the potential tax rate implications of undertaking both projects with tax rate increases of 8 to 11 cents bandied about to fund the debt service to finance both projects The town’s current tax rate is 49 cents per $100 Williams and aldermen have generally expressed opposition in the past to any tax rate increase for the projects that the town may need to consider “reducing the things we cannot afford” at the library while also pointing to rapid residential growth which he said would substantially add to the town’s revenues in the coming years said it was not realistic to think that these projects would be built in the “next few years.” Shepherd agreed that “we need both buildings Williams used as an example how the board had come together to build the town’s community center on Minneola Street which was built several years ago was a much smaller project while both the library and police station are projected to cost $10 million each Alderman Bryant Crisp told Williams that the only reason an alternative site [the mill] was being considered was because when the price tag of $10 million for a library had been presented “We don’t have $10 million [to build a library],” Crisp said if the town was obligated with long-term debt service the town would not have available money for unexpected expenses Crisp said that the Minneola land purchased for the library could be used for other purposes Crisp countered that Williams’ suggestion to trim back the library’s size or offerings would then soon be outgrown by the very growth that the mayor had pointed to Potentially complicating the timeframe for the library is that the school system’s lease of the library is currently scheduled to expire in 2028 Williams said that the school system would continue the lease as it had for decades previously But we can’t afford them right now,” Shepherd said After about 40 minutes of conversation and at Williams’ insistence the aldermen will resume discussion at their Monday meeting at 7:00 p.m Gibsonville’s aldermen have agreed to a contract to demolish a part of the former Dixie Belle building which is now owned by the town and whose roof collapsed several months ago Part of two nearby streets have been closed off as a safety precaution The town bought the mill building last fall for $400,000 The board agreed last Monday night to contract with D.H the low bidder among four companies who bid for the demolition work Bids ranged from Griffin’s low to the two highest bids which has prompted the town to rope off parts of Eugene and Wharton streets over the past few months for fear that the walls at that end of the building town manager Ben Baxley had previously told the newspaper The town has not yet announced future plans for the 78,060 square-foot-building although it is expected that the section to be demolished may be used for additional parking told the aldermen during a closed session in September when they were considering the purchase of the building that because of the mill’s current condition Read other Gibsonville news in this week’s edition: whose warm heart and hospitable nature touched the lives of everyone he met Billy dedicated his entire career to the automotive industry a field that he was passionate about and excelled in He was known not only for his professional skills but also for his friendly demeanor—he never met a stranger and loved interacting with people and those who knew him will forever remember his generous spirit He played softball into his adult years and had a particular love for golf and fishing although he did more fishing than he did catching He also had a strong interest in cars and motorcycles Billy took great pride in his home and yard earning the recognition of "Yard of the Month" for his meticulous care and attention to detail Billy is survived by his loving wife of 44 years Smith; and several cousins and many other supportive family members and friends Billy was preceded in death by his parents A celebration of Billy’s life will be held at 2 PM on Saturday The family will receive friends immediately following the service The family would like to extend their special thanks to many people who assisted with Billy’s care throughout his illness the Men’s Group at First Baptist Church of Gibsonville as well as LuAnn’s family “crew” were all instrumental in making Billy’s final months special In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association at www.heart.org, The National Kidney Foundation at www.kidney.org, or the American Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.org Click to watch GUILFORD COUNTY — Police say they’ve been working around the clock to find 62-year-old Gwen Collins who went missing last Friday Neighbors last saw her in a pink night gown near her home on Bellflower road in Gibsonville "This collaboration is a testament to the strength and unity of our community in times of crisis," said Sheriff Danny Rogers Police are working with other first responders and agencies to search the Reedy Fork River Guilford County Sheriff’s Office says the Haw River usually carries debris and last week’s tropical storm caused rough conditions the flow of the river was about 5per second around the time she went miss it was over 4,000," said Sergeant J Wright with Guilford County Sheriff's Office The Haw River crested at almost record numbers last week including boat and dive teams are underway “It’s been around 10-12 hours of searching to try and bring her home," said Wright A family member of Collins tells us that she has schizophrenia and takes daily heart medication that was left behind Collins is described as a black female around 5’1” Anyone with information about the case should reach out to Crime Stoppers Gibsonville taxpayers will spend an additional $331,000 per year to pay 75 full-time town employees additional compensation and benefits based on action taken by the town’s board of aldermen last week The aldermen heard from Matt Reece with the Piedmont Triad Regional Government which had undertaken a pay and classification study update for Gibsonville municipal employees The $254,000 cash increase (coupled with another 30 percent in additional benefit costs) averages out to $4,146 per employee But some categories of employees will get about twice that level Any town employees who are being “overpaid,” based on Reece’s study is that in order for the town to reach significant parity (between 98 to 101 percent) with other nearby municipalities that are competing for employees in similar categories Gibsonville’s salaries need to be increased Three specific examples were presented to aldermen during last Monday night’s meeting The largest gap was in a police officer (grade 16) whose salary would be boosted by $9,100 – from $42,113 to $51,213 whose salary is now $40,127 would see a $8,649 annual increase from $33,014 to $36,396 (a $3,382 increase) would end up with salaries averaging higher than other nearby jurisdictions Alderman Irene Fanelli was particularly eager to get the new salary structure in place as soon as possible She made a motion to enact the recommendations immediately with town manager Ben Baxley to bring a budget amendment – to pay for the remainder of the current fiscal year through June 30 – at the next board meeting The motion for the increases passed unanimously Baxley also noted that the full price tag of the salary and benefit increases would have to be built in to the budget for the next fiscal year New Jersey to the late Herbert Scarf and Beatrice Hall Cohoon and was married for 47 years to Nancy Haase Cohoon  Robert retired from GMAC as an insurance adjuster and was a graduate of MacMurray College in Illinois He was a talented athlete excelling in various sports during his lifetime He had several holes-in-one for which he was extremely proud He served in the Peace Corps in Panama and was a US Army veteran Robert enjoyed beach trips and time with his family Gail Lowden of Pennsylvania and his brother  The family will hold a gathering for family and friends at a later date Posted by | Oct 18, 2024 | UPDATE: A release from the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office on Friday said investigators identified the skeletal remains as 62-year-old Gwen Jenell Collins of Gibsonville after she was last seen near her home on Bellflower Road in Guilford County A kayaker along the Haw River in Chatham County made a macabre discovery over the weekend: human skeletal remains A release from the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office on Sunday detailed the incident with the human bones found along the riverbank — with a spokesperson for the office confirming to Chapelboro the remains were found in the stretch near Chicken Bridge Road sheriff’s office employees searched the area that evening and Sunday morning using the help of several other agencies to confirm the discovery and find additional bones The release said cadaver dogs from the Nash County Sheriff’s Office were used as well as staff with the Chatham County Emergency Management Department the water rescue team of the North Chatham Fire Department The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office described each group as providing “vital assistance” to the search Next steps include the Medical Examiner working to identify the remains and determine the cause of death The investigation is ongoing and no further information is being made available to the public as of Sunday evening Comments on Chapelboro are moderated according to our Community Guidelines are dedicated to providing broad outreach regarding job vacancies at the station We seek the help of local organizations in referring qualified applicants to our station Organizations that wish to receive our vacancy information should contact WCHL by calling (919) 933-4165 FCC PUBLIC INSPECTION FILES © Copyright 2025 Chapelboro.com. All rights reserved. Gibsonville’s Collin Smith got in his kicks with North Carolina State during a six-year career with the Wolfpack’s football program While his opportunities mostly came on the team’s kickoffs he said he found the benefits in a well-rounded experience “The ability to impact other people outside of football State’s kickoffs for the past three seasons and added a few attempts on field goals Smith’s role on the Wolfpack’s leadership council gave him responsibilities that he took seriously Smith had a couple of games when he was the place kicker so last winter he had entered the transfer portal “looking for some place to kick field goals.” But he found that he had advanced too far in N.C State’s MBA program to make a move feasible Smith also built relationships with elite kickers During the pandemic shutdown in spring and summer of 2020 he worked at Elon’s turf field with current Los Angeles Rams kicker Joshua Karty (Western Alamance alum) State punter Trenton Gill of Hillsborough (and later with three NFL organizations) Concord) whose team is still competing in the College Football Playoff Smith had 42 consecutive kicks into the end zone dating to the 2023 regular-season finale State didn’t allow a kickoff return until the eighth game of the season rating in the top 10 nationally in kickoff coverage All except 11 of Smith’s 76 kickoffs went for touchbacks in his final season For part of Smith’s time with the Wolfpack who won the county’s top kicking award in 2022 But Smith had his first chance at place kicking with Dunn exiting with an injury in a September 2022 home game against Connecticut Smith kicked a 40-yard field goal and missed from 47 yards with starting placekicker Kanoah Vinesett out with an injury eight extra points and handling kickoffs in N.C “I was extremely worn out by the end of that one,” he said “Happy for him to get in the game and be 100 percent and help the team win,” N.C State coach Dave Doeren said of the Stanford game “Collin did a good job stepping up when we needed him Collin is a guy that no matter what you need he tries to do it for you we had a few crazy kicks that came off his foot We needed him to have a deep kick after the one penalty that we shouldn’t have had There was one more chance as a place kicker in November Smith had been dubbed as having the strongest leg on the team so he was summoned for the final play with the Wolfpack trailing host Georgia Tech by 30-29 in November “I was sort of told to be ready for end-of-half or end-of-game situations,” Smith said “That was big because they trusted me to go out there and at least give it a shot.” Smith graduated from Eastern Guilford in 2019 playing under now-former Wildcats football coaches Doug Robertson and Joe Glass State’s team as a walk-on before earning a scholarship State’s 6-7 season that ended with a December 28 loss to East Carolina in the Military Bowl in Annapolis He graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with concentrations in operations and supply chain management in 2023 and earned a Master of Business Administration in December He said he’s looking for employment in construction or contracting industries A Gibsonville apartment complex has been sold for $1.75 million to a Greensboro group according to a Guilford County Register of Deeds filing Tuesday The buyer is WEM Properties Eden Place LLC of Greensboro The seller is Eden Place Rentals LLC of Fort Lauderdale rcraver@wsjournal.com Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly Email notifications are only sent once a day The Quality Inn and Suites property in Thomasville has been purchased for $3.25 million according to a Davidson County Register of Deeds filing Alamance Crossing has among its anchor tenants Barnes & Noble Sale marks the second time Carolina Oaks has been sold in the past 3½ years Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account of McLeansville passed away peacefully Wednesday Patricia was born in Guilford County to the late E Huffines and Mary Alice Breedlove Huffines on January 17 She was a longtime member of Bethel Presbyterian Church in Gibsonville Patsy enjoyed handmaking clothes and gifts for her grandchildren She continued these hobbies through the years and just gifted Melody and Brooke with handmade dish cloths her hobby of making dolls took up considerable time She would fight for her family to no end and did all she could to see them happy and cared for Her greatest time was spent with her daughter and grandchildren especially going to the beach together where she enjoyed the occasional Tito’s and Cranberry Patsy leaves behind her much-loved feline companion Patsy was preceded in death by her brother A funeral service to celebrate the life of Patsy will be held at 2:00pm Sunday 2024 at Lowe Funeral Home Chapel by Pastor Jenni Zima with burial to follow at Friedens Lutheran Church Cemetery Visitation for family and friends will be from 12:30 till 1:45pm Sunday prior to the service at the funeral home and other times at the daughter’s home Patsy was very concerned about the upcoming elections and she got to cast her last vote on Friday October 18  Memorial donations may be made to Friedens Lutheran Church Cemetery Fund NC 27249 or flowers may be sent to Lowe Funeral Home & Crematory You may watch the service and send condolences to www.lowefuneralhome.com Click to watch The popular Gibsonville Mexican restaurant The Mission will reopen Aug including new decor and drink options.  said customers can expect new televisions featuring entertainment stations He also said he wants customers to stay and enjoy their time instead of leaving right after they finish their meals and drinks “We always felt that we were kind of in limbo between or are we more of like a bar?’” Colgan said “We like to consider ourselves more of a restaurant but we want to have almost like a bar or a hang-out feel.” revamping includes new walls and ceilings to fit this “hang-out” atmosphere With not much said on the details of these new updates the walls and ceilings should be brand new when customers start flooding in as the semester starts Colgan said he wanted to give customers the opportunity to stay as long as they would like.  “I'm hoping that we're providing a little bit more of the experience that not only Elon students but the community is looking for — which is a fun place to go out and have food and drinks with your friends,” Colgan said we've been looked at as a place that only serves margaritas,” Colgan said “But we're going to expand on that menu quite a bit and we're going to try to not be looked at as just a margarita place We just want to have a little bit more diversity.” Though the menu typically updates every semester Colgan said  diversity within the drinks menu will hopefully reach a new audience and will focus on adding more rum and vodka based cocktails.  Colgan said while most of his customers are Elon students he said he hopes it will be a place for all to enjoy.  kind of enhancing the atmosphere and experience,” Colgan said went home to be with his heavenly Father on Thursday TX to the late Harry James Wagoner and Nancy Eloise Vanhook who survives Daniel was the beloved husband of 10 years to Dianna Culbreth Wagoner of the home  He was employed with Lab Corp for nearly 25 years who was an active member of Friedens Lutheran Church where his beautiful voice and love for God touched many hearts He loved spending time with his family especially his daughter Dianna Wagoner include his daughter who he adored Devan Culbreth and Carson Culbreth; a nephew Tommy Culbreth; and extended Wagoner family Daniel was preceded in death by his father Harry Wagoner; paternal grandparents; maternal grandparents; and an aunt  The funeral service to celebrate the life of Daniel will be held at 3:00pm Saturday Jenni Zima with the burial to follow in the church cemetery Following the service the family invites everyone to join them in the fellowship hall for refreshments and fellowship  Memorials may be made to Friedens Lutheran Church, 6001 NC Hwy 61 North, Gibsonville, NC 27249. You may send condolences and watch the video tribute at www.lowefuneralhome.com Gibsonville town manager Ben Baxley has proposed a $15 million budget for the upcoming 2024-25 fiscal year would represent a 3.4 percent increase above the town’s funding levels for the current fiscal year that ends June 30 Gibsonville’s municipal tax rate would remain unchanged at 49 cents per $100 of valuation General fund spending accounts for $11 million of the total proposed budget; Baxley is also recommending $3.9 million in spending for the water and sewer fund for 2024-25 Property tax and sales tax revenue account for most of the revenue (about $5.5 million) in the general fund utility franchise and motor vehicle taxes round out the remainder needed to balance that portion of the recommended budget Baxley has also proposed allocating $455,562 in fund balance (i.e. “rainy-day savings”) to purchase three vehicles and equipment; complete a capital project; and fund a portion of the town’s operations that are supported by the general fund The manager’s proposed budget also calls for hiring three new employees: one each in the police department The three new full-time positions are estimated to cost $218,287 for the upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1 Baxley is also proposing merit increases of up to 3 percent for qualified employees and a 1 percent cost-of-living adjustment across-the-board for all employees The only sticking point during the board’s discussion Monday night was a recommendation to increase a fee for tampering with water meters Several aldermen suggested increasing the penalty to $500 and Mark Shepherd indicated that they support Public works staff said $500 was the highest fine for water meter tampering that they had found in other municipalities and tried to offer some middle ground but aldermen pressed for the $500 fine as the penalty for tampering with a water meter Baxley is also recommending an increase of 5 percent in water and sewer rates due to an increase in costs passed along by the city of Burlington Baxley’s recommended budget calls for a raft of fee increases The most significant big-ticket purchases within the general fund include a recommendation to purchase a new garbage truck ($380,000) which would be funded through loan proceeds and would be ordered in mid-2025 The manager is also recommending the town purchase a boom truck ($220,000) that would also be funded through loan proceeds; three police vehicles ($195,000); and fire extrication equipment ($60,000) based the spending recommendations that the aldermen previewed Monday night Gibsonville aldermen are scheduled to hold a special meeting today at 4:30 p.m to continue discussing the recommended budget prior to setting a public hearing on either June 3 or June 17 Video Central|Live Stream