Garner's Station Podcast Episode 19: Importance of Early Childhood Education in Economic Development

GARNER, NC –In this episode, we talk with Cassandra Brooks, owner of Little Believers Academy and Nikki Leonard, Department Head of Education at Wake Tech, about the important role that early childhood education plays in economic development.

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The Wall That Heals: Welcome Home Celebration, April 2nd 2pm, Lake Benson Park

Our Vietnam veterans will be celebrated with Welcome Home—A Walk To The Wall and Concert on Saturday, April 2 at 2 p.m.

Dozens of Vietnam veterans will follow the U.S. Marine 2D Aircraft Wing band to The Wall That Heals at Lake Benson Park. The band will go into formation and perform a concert in front of The Wall.

U.S. Marine Col. Samuel Lee Meyer, a Garner Senior High graduate, will be the keynote speaker and U.S. Army Col. (retired) Joe Marm, a Medal of Honor recipient, is the grand marshal.

(Vietnam veterans and a guest can park at Lake Benson Park and be transported to the starting point of the celebration. The Vietnam veterans and their guest will have reserved seating, but others are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets.)

The Easter Bunny is Coming to Town

Come Join Garner and our Spring Eggstravaganza!

Saturday, April 9th 2022

Lake Benson Park
10 a.m - 12:30 p.m.

The Easter Bunny is coming to Garner!

We have two exciting opportunities scheduled for you to meet the Easter Bunny. Join us at the Bunny Hop on April 8 from 6-7pm at the Garner Recreation Center for dinner, crafts, photos and an egg hunt. Pre-registration is required at https://garner.recdesk.com/Community/Program/Detail....

You can also catch the bunny on April 9 at the Spring Eggstravaganza event at Lake Benson Park from 10am-12:30pm. This is a free community wide event that will include, games, egg hunts, crafts, music, food trucks and more!

For more information about these and other events and programs, visit GarnerNC.gov/parks

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Congresswoman Ross Secures $1 million in Federal Funding for Downtown Garner Improvements

House passes bipartisan legislation to fund the federal government; bill includes Violence Against Women Act reauthorization and measures to support Ukraine, invest in education and job training, and lower costs for the middle class

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Project Sponsor: Town of Garner
Address: 900 Seventh Avenue, Garner, NC 27529
Amount Funded: $1,030,405
Project Description and Explanation: The project is a comprehensive rehabilitation of the intersection of Main Street and Rand Mill Rd. in Downtown Garner, North Carolina.

At the intersection and along Main Street, streetscape improvements include: a pedestrian plaza and sidewalk amenities to create a sense of place; grade separation between sidewalk and street at the intersection; pedestrian safety bump-outs to increase visibility at crosswalks; stamped colored asphalt at the intersection and crosswalk to serve as traffic calming; stormwater drainage improvements to prevent flooding; and a 2-story mural of important cultural figures from Garner’s history.

South of the intersection, the town will construct a new public parking lot, including 59 new paved parking spots and a communal trash solution for the downtown business owners. The parking lot will transform an underutilized central lot into a productive downtown asset and public investment in this project will catalyze private development in downtown Garner. This project will increase accessibility and capacity for residents and visitors to enjoy the entire downtown.

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Washington, D.C.— Tonight, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bipartisan government funding bill, H.R. 2471, which will support our allies abroad and make a positive difference in the lives of North Carolina families and workers. This omnibus package provides funding to create jobs in our state, invest in innovation and medical research in the Triangle, and lower the high cost of childcare, college tuition, and housing. The legislation also allocates security and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine and reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act.

This spending bill contains many provisions spearheaded by Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02), including more than $10 million in funding for community projects in Wake County. These projects designate federal investments in local universities, affordable housing, transportation, infrastructure, and more.

“I’m incredibly proud to vote for these historic investments in North Carolina as well as additional support for the people of Ukraine in their courageous struggle for freedom,” said Congresswoman Ross. “I fought hard to secure more than $10 million in funding for community projects that will support underserved areas, foster economic development, and make a real difference in the lives of the people of Wake County. This legislation is a testament to the work we can accomplish when we set our partisan differences aside and put the interests of the American people first. From finally reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act and strengthening Pell Grants, to funding security and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine, this legislation tackles the most pressing challenges our nation is facing. I urge my Senate colleagues to swiftly pass the bill and send it to President Biden’s desk.”

Within the legislation, Congresswoman Ross secured funding for 10 Wake County community projects. These include:

• $500,000 for Raleigh/Wake City-County Bureau of Identification DNA Testing Equipment

• $300,000 for Morrisville Small Business Development Program

• $3,000,000 for South Raleigh Heritage Walk

• $1,000,000 for Cary Regional Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility

• $1,030,405 for Town of Garner Streetscape and Parking Improvements on Rand Mill Road

• $2,000,000 for King's Ridge permanent, supportive housing

• $1,000,000 for Wake County Emergency Operations Center

• $900,000 for Town of Cary for Swift Creek Stormwater Management and Modeling Program

• $350,000 for North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC for computer science education

• $600,000 for Wake Technical Community College, Raleigh, NC for college preparation and success initiative

For more information on each of these projects, click here.

The bill also reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which has been one of Congresswoman Ross’ top priorities since taking office. VAWA makes vital improvements to programs and laws to combat gender-based violence based on extensive consultations with victim service providers, law enforcement, and other experts. This reauthorization includes a Ross-led bill, the Supporting Access to Nurse Exams Act, which addresses the national shortage of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs), who are instrumental in providing medical care to survivors of sexual assault. VAWA also includes a Ross amendment that will fund the creation of databases detailing where these nurses are located, a pressing issue in North Carolina.

The government funding legislation also includes significant investments to: 

• Support the Ukrainian people as they continue to be attacked by Russia. The bill includes $13.6 billion in emergency funding for humanitarian, military, and economy support, as well as measures to help the millions of Ukrainian refugees fleeing the country.

• Reduce costs for working families in America by expanding child care and early learning programs to more working families, investing in America’s K-12 public schools, and making college more affordable. The bill increases the maximum for Pell Grants to $6,895, the largest expansion in more than a decade. It also includes $363 million for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

• Establish the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to accelerate the pace of scientific breakthroughs for diseases such as ALS, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and cancer.

• Create good-paying American jobs, putting North Carolinians to work rebuilding our infrastructure, helping small businesses grow and thrive, fostering the green energy jobs of tomorrow, and supporting high-quality job training. The bill designates $235 million for Registered Apprenticeships and $50 million to continue and expand Strengthening Community College Training Grants. It also includes $8.84 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support cutting-edge research in the Triangle and beyond.

• Support the vulnerable by meeting Americans basic needs, by strengthening nutrition assistance, and funding more affordable housing. The legislation includes $11 billion for new affordable housing, critical health, safety, and maintenance improvements to ensure the safety and quality of public and low-income housing and community development activities.

The Wall That Heals Schedule of Events

The Wall That Heals Schedule of Events

The Wall That Heals, a three-quarter-size reproduction of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, will be at Lake Benson Park (921 Buffaloe Road) March 31-April 3. There is a full slate of events happening in conjunction with The Wall's temporary installation at the park. You can learn more and get the latest updates about The Wall at garnerwall.com.

The Escort

The Wall That Heals will be escorted by dozens of motorcycles to Lake Benson Park on National Vietnam Veteran Day, March 29. The processional will begin in Clayton at noon and after riding through downtown Clayton will travel U.S. 70 toward Garner. The processional is expected to pass the Greenfield Business Park overpass around 12:25 p.m. and turn onto Timber Drive around 12:35. The truck will turn onto Aversboro Road, a large crowd is expected at the Poole YMCA around 12:40 p.m. as the wall nears the park and arrives at Lake Benson Park around 12:45 p.m.

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The Candlelight Welcome Home Ceremony

A Candlelight Ceremony will be held at The Wall on Friday, April 1 at 7:30 p.m. Our community will honor all the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who perished in Vietnam.

Nine wreaths, one each for the eight community men killed in Vietnam and another for survivors who have died since the war, will be placed at The Wall by Gold Star families and a military escort.

Visitors will have the opportunity to experience The Wall by candlelight.

U.S. Army Lt. Col. (retired) Dr. James Johnson, a Vietnam War chaplain, will be the principal speaker. Area Boys Scouts will assist in the lighting and there will be special music.

Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets because seating is limited. The ceremony will last about 40 minutes.

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Welcome Home Celebration

Our Vietnam veterans will be celebrated with Welcome Home—A Walk To The Wall and Concert on Saturday, April 2 at 2 p.m.

Dozens of Vietnam veterans will follow the U.S. Marine 2D Aircraft Wing band to The Wall That Heals at Lake Benson Park. The band will go into formation and perform a concert in front of The Wall.

U.S. Marine Col. Samuel Lee Meyer, a Garner Senior High graduate, will be the keynote speaker and U.S. Army Col. (retired) Joe Marm, a Medal of Honor recipient, is the grand marshal.

(Vietnam veterans and a guest can park at Lake Benson Park and be transported to the starting point of the celebration. The Vietnam veterans and their guest will have reserved seating, but others are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets.)

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The Wall That Heals Documentary

Show N Tell Ministries and CrazyDuck Productions has produced a documentary about The Wall That Heals.

The 30-minute program tells the stories of six North Carolina service members who perished in Vietnam, including Garner’s W. Harold Till, Jr.; examines the lingering effects of the war on our service members; and features music by the U.S. Marine 2D Aircraft Wing band.

The documentary will be screened at the N.C. Museum of History (Saturday, March 12, 2 p.m.); Aversboro Road Baptist Church (Sunday, March 20, 3 p.m.); and the Airborne and Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville (Sunday, March 27, 2 p.m.).

The 82nd Airborne All-American Chorus will be special guests for the presentation at Aversboro Road Baptist Church on March 20.

The documentary will be broadcast for Fox 50 (Saturday, March 26, 1 p.m.), by WRAL-TV (Sunday, March 27, 12:30 p.m.) and by PBS-North Carolina (Memorial Day).

Garner Public Hearing March 22, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE 

The Town of Garner Town Council will hold one public hearing to review the conditional rezoning on Tuesday, March 22 at 7:00 pm.  All public hearings are held in the Council Chambers of the Garner Town Hall located at 900 Seventh Avenue, Garner, NC 27529. 

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Conditional Zoning Request - #CZ-22-03 Timber Drive  

Raleigh North Development is requesting conditional rezoning for 18.45 +/- acres from Residential 20 (R-20) to Office and Institutional Conditional District (O&I C256) with townhome development proposed. The site is located on Timber Drive and can be further identified as Wake County PINs: 1710546449 and 1710641582.  (MAP HERE)

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Interested parties are invited to appear before the Town Council and comment during this public hearing.  It is also possible that substantial changes to the proposed request may be made following said hearing and prior to Town Council action at a subsequent meeting.  Upon closing of the public hearing, this request is automatically referred to the Town of Garner Planning Commission and placed on their next available agenda for review and recommendation. 

The rezoning request is on file in the Planning Department at Garner Town Hall.  If you have questions regarding this matter, please contact David Bamford, AICP; Assistant Planning Director at 919-773-4443 or dbamford@garnernc.gov. 

Handicapped persons needing assistance or aids should contact the Clerk’s office prior to the meeting at 919-772-4688.

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New Life Science Space Coming to Garner

GARNER, NC – Mainstreet Capital Partners and a fund managed by DRA Advisors today announced a joint venture to redevelop INQ 4300, a 180,017-square-foot building in Garner, North Carolina. Formerly a big-box retail store, the property will be repositioned to attract the region’s rapidly growing life science users. JLL’s John MacDonell and Taylor McCuiston will handle leasing on behalf of the owners.

Mainstreet Capital Partners and a fund managed by DRA Advisors announce joint venture to redevelop INQ 4300

JLL selected to lease the 180,000-square-foot building, which is being overhauled for life science space

“We are excited to launch redevelopment efforts for INQ 4300 so it can provide unmatched opportunities for life science users in the market,” said Peter Tonon, Partner at Mainstreet Capital Partners. “Similar to INQ 1101 in Morrisville, INQ 4300 will answer the demand for strategic and innovative lab space in Raleigh and we look forward to bringing our vision to life.” 

Located at 4300 Fayetteville Road, INQ 4300 will undergo significant interior and exterior renovations beginning in Q1 2022 with plans to deliver late summer 2022. Redevelopment plans are focused on creating a modern, highly amenitized laboratory and production environment for life science users. Once complete, INQ 4300 will feature new landscaping and hardscaping, glass openings, a new building facade, roof and outdoor amenity areas. INQ 4300 is the second property that Mainstreet Capital Partners and DRA Advisors have partnered together to reposition. Earlier this year, Mainstreet Capital Partners and DRA Advisors completed an overhaul of INQ 1101, a former big-box store in Morrisville, North Carolina. INQ 1101 is now fully leased to Schneider Electric and Azzur Cleanrooms on Demand. 

“As Raleigh’s life science community continues to thrive and demand for state-of-the-art lab and production space experiences unprecedented growth, INQ 4300 will be a highly sought-after addition to the market,” said JLL’s MacDonell. “We’re confident this property will generate interest from companies looking to grow or establish a Raleigh footprint, and our team is beyond excited to once again partner with Mainstreet Capital Partners and DRA Advisors.”

Located less than five miles from downtown Raleigh, INQ 4300 will provide future users with unparalleled accessibility to Raleigh’s life sciences community. The property is surrounded by numerous shopping and dining options and offers immediate connectivity to I-40 and the I-540 extension, which is currently under construction.

"We're excited about the innovative repurposing of this building and the potential impact it can have as the Town continues to aggressively pursue recruiting companies in the life science, advancing the manufacturing and technology sectors,” said Garner Mayor Ken Mashburn. “It is another significant step in the diversification of Garner's local economy. We welcome DRA Advisors and Mainstreet Capital Partners to our community and look forward to forging a strong partnership with them."

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Garner Showcase of Talent, February 26th

Garner proves once again that “we’ve got talent.” Come see your family, friends, coworkers and neighbors take the stage as Garner residents sing, dance and perform a FREE show!

The Garner Showcase of Talent is where Scotty McCreery, Arlie Honeycutt and many other performers honed their skills before moving on to bigger stages. Make sure you’re in the audience for this Garner tradition. You just might see the stars of tomorrow before they make it big!

Free Admission

Garner Performing Arts Center
742 W. Garner Road Garner, North Carolina 27529

3pm and 7pm

Hal Stewart Selected for NC High School Athletics Association Hall of Fame

Former Garner football coach Hal Stewart said he was glad that he was sitting down when he learned that he had been selected to enter the N.C. High School Athletics Association Hall of Fame.

“If I had been standing, I would have fallen out on the floor,” said Stewart, who built one of the state’s most dominating programs at Garner Senior High in the 1980s and ‘90s. The Trojans were the undefeated state 4-A champions in 1987 and reached the finals in ’99.

The Trojans’ Class of 1990 did not lose a regular-season game during their three-year varsity careers.

“After I got over the shock of the call, the most dominate feeling with humility,” Stewart said. “It hit me very strongly that Hal Stewart has been a very lucky and very blessed man.

“There is no successful coach that has not been surrounded by exceptional players, coaches, and administrators. I have been supported by great people, including my wife Linda and my daughter Lauren, and my mother and father, and my brothers, Eddie and Jimmy, and my uncle Dave. If you surround yourself with great people, great things can happen.”

Consistent Success

Stewart had a 159-47-1 record in 17 seasons at Garner and his teams won at least 10 games 12 times. The Trojans won 11 conference titles, posted a 15-0 state championship season in 1987 and returned to the state finals in 1998.

“Talk about surrounding yourself with great people, I got to coach Anthony Barbour (the star of the 1987 team,)” Stewart said. “He was the greatest high school running back that I ever saw and he was a better person than he was football player.”

Stewart said one of his biggest thrills was seeing Barbour at N.C. State and ’90 Garner graduate John Leach of Wake Forest lead the Atlantic Coast Conference in rushing in back-to-back seasons.

Leach was among the many athletes that Stewart persuaded to play football.

“The thing about Hal is that he could go into the poorest kid’s house and be perfectly at home or go to a reception with the Governor and be comfortable. He can relate to anyone,” said former Garner athletics director Brinkley Wagstaff. “He has a knack for developing relationships.”

Eddie Gray, a long-time assistant football coach and the former Trojans’ basketball coach,  said Stewart had an unusual way of game planning.

“I think it goes back to his basketball background,” Gray said. “Hal always looked for match ups. He would move players around to try to create a matchup that we could exploit. Not many football coaches would do that.

“And he really knew how to push the motivational buttons. Plus, he always kept it fun. Players knew he cared more about them as people than he did as players.”

Where It Began

Stewart began his head coaching career at Durham High in 1975 (12-9 in two years) before leaving to return to Richmond County, where he had been an assistant football and baseball coach for three years before going to Durham.

He posted a 20-6 record in two seasons with the Raiders, including a 12-2 state championship run in 1978. Perry Williams, a future 12-year player with the NFL’s New York Giants was the star of that team, which rallied from a 1-2 start.

He resigned following the title season and sold cars for a year before becoming the head coach at St. Pauls High in 1980. His three clubs were 9-2, 8-3 and 5-5 and were led by Lee Vernon McNeill, a future Olympic sprinter who died last year from Covid complications.

Garner had interviewed Stewart in 1980 and Principal Shirley Paige called him in 1983 when Garner’s head coaching job opened again. He took the job, and a dynasty was planted.

He left Garner to become the head coach at Erwin Triton, fulfilling a wish made by his father Harold. Alton Stewart, Harold Stewart’s father, was from Coats, which is close to Triton. Alton Stewart received the first civilian pilot’s license in North Carolina and died in a plane crash on Dec. 25, 1929. Hal’s father, then a boy, was taken off the doomed flight right before takeoff.

“My father had ties to Harnett County, and he always wanted me to go back and coach there,” Stewart said. “That’s why I went. My father asked me to do it and I did.”

He coached at Triton three years and had 6-4, 5-5, and 7-4 records.

He remained a driver’s education teacher in the county, but his coaching career was over.

“It was time,” he said. “I had loved sports for a long time and still do, but it was time to stop playing and coaching.”

The Journey From Player to Coach

Stewart played football, basketball, and baseball at Goldsboro High School. He played in the first game played at Durham County Stadium, scoring the first touchdown in the park after catching a pass from long-time friend Dave Odom, eventually the head basketball coach at Wake Forest University. Goldsboro finished 1-8-1 that year, beating Garner for its only win. His senior year Goldsboro was 0-10.

Stewart almost didn’t become a coach. He was offered a baseball scholarship to East Carolina after graduating from Goldsboro High but signed with Portsmouth (Va.) Frederick College where he could play basketball and baseball.

He stole some empty soft drink bottles and sold them his junior year, netting $5.29. He and a friend bought six hot dogs for a quarter each and got tickets to a basketball game. He was suspended from school.

He was at home in Goldsboro and working for his father in a metal fabricating facility when he decided to join the Air Force. As planes from Seymour Johnson Air Force base flew overhead, he decided he was signing up on Monday.

But that Saturday he agreed to ride to Edwards Military Institute in Salemburg, N.C . with a friend. An Edwards coach recognized him and offered him a spot on the basketball team. He played one semester and returned to the Portsmouth school.

“People ask me why I believe in second chances,” Stewart said.   “That’s why. I made a stupid mistake. I stole those bottles. That’s the truth. It was a stupid thing to do, but I did it. But somebody gave me a second chance.”

He made his coaching debut helping Odom and legendary baseball coach George Whitfield with the Goldsboro American Legion baseball team in 1963 and ’64 while still in college.

“The thing with Hal is that he loves the kids,” Whitfield said. “Kids will do a lot for you if they know that you really care.”

He got a $500 supplement to coach football, basketball, and basketball at Goldsboro’s Greenwood Junior High after graduating from college. He left to go to Jacksonville High and assisted Coach George Thompson for two years before being reunited with Whitfield at Hamlet.

He was hired as the head of the Industrial Cooperative Program at the school but moved to special education after two days when another teacher resigned. Eventually, he received certification in special ed.

“It was just one of those things,” he said. “I love working in special ed. I think it was a factor in the success we had in football. It helped me relate to all of the players better.”

He took a head basketball coaching job in Havelock but left to join Whitfield and head football coach Ron Kroll at the newly opened Richmond County High as an assistant. Three years later, Odom called and asked Stewart to replace him as head football coach.

“When I look back on it, I see all of these people playing huge roles in my life,” he said. “You just have to believe that God had a plan that I knew nothing about.”

Stewart was in the inaugural class of the Garner Magnet High School Hall of Fame.

The N.C. High School Athletic Association banquet will be held on Aug 20, 2022, at the Embassy Suites in Cary. Ticket information will be available in March for the festivities.

Volunteers Needed for The Wall That Heals Garner Display

Hundreds of volunteers are needed to assist the thousands of people who are expected to experience The Wall That Heals when it visits Garner’s Lake Benson Park on March 31 through April 3. Recent visits by The Wall in Wake Forest and Tarboro had crowds of more than 20,000.

The Wall will be open 24 hours per day. There is no admission charge.

The biggest opportunity to serve is by volunteering to be an ambassador. Ambassadors are trained during a one-hour session on Wednesday, March 30 at 6 p.m.   

The session includes information about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., The Wall That Heals, the Mobile Education Center that travels with The Wall, and instructions on how to find a particular name on The Wall. Ambassadors will be given tools to assist guests.

Volunteers can sign up for two or three-hour shifts, or multiple shifts, at the garnerwall.com website under the volunteer section.

The Wall That Heals is 376 feet long and 7.5 feet tall at its highest point. Its panels have been engraved with the names of the more than 58,000 United States service members who perished in the war.

The Wall That Heals travels with a Mobile Education Center that provides information about the war, the Memorial and items that have been left at The Wall.

Jodi Miller to Join Garner Leadership Team as Assistant Town Manager

Jodi M. Miller will be joining the Town of Garner in early February as an assistant town manager, filling an important senior leadership role with the Town.

Miller has served as deputy/general manager for Durham County since 2016. Her areas of responsibility include emergency services (Fire Marshal, Emergency Management and EMS) and emergency communications (in partnership with the City of Durham), as well as Durham County’s Youth Home and Criminal Justice Resource Center. She also serves as liaison to the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, Durham Detention Center, Durham County Courts and the N.C. Forest Service, a division with the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Garner Town Manager Rodney Dickerson will make a final decision about Miller’s exact areas of responsibility for the Town in the next couple of weeks. John Hodges also serves in the role of assistant town manager for Garner.

Dickerson said that Miller's talents and broad range of experience will make her a valuable addition to the Town's municipal leadership team.

“Jodi Miller is an analytical thinker and problem solver who has a passion for local government,” Dickerson said. “She has an impressive background in a number of areas that will allow us to draw on her insights as Garner positions itself for continued growth.”

As a deputy/general manager with Durham County, Miller has helped lead implementation of a major organizational transformation that emphasizes a strategic governance approach using metrics and data as the principal drivers for decision-making. In addition, she has played a key leadership role in updating Durham County’s strategic plan and capital improvement plan.

Before joining Durham County, Miller served a deputy city manager for the City of Williamsburg, Va., for 16 years.

Over the course of her career, Miller has gained extensive local government experience in the areas of executive leadership, strategic planning, performance management, budget preparation and management, capital project development and management, economic and community development, emergency services, communications, human resources, civic engagement and innovation.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the talented and dedicated Garner team and feel fortunate to be given the opportunity,” Miller said. “Garner’s future is bright, and I look forward to using my skills and experience to help the Town achieve its strategic goals and objectives.”

Miller sits on numerous professional and community boards including the International City/County Management Association’s (ICMA) Credentialing Advisory Board and the Museum of Life & Science Board of Directors. She has previously served on the North Carolina City and County Management Association Executive Committee and on the national League of Women in Government board.

Miller earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Virginia Tech and a master’s degree in public administration from Tech’s Center for Public Administration and Policy. She is an ICMA credentialed manager, as well as a graduate of the University of Virginia’s Senior Executive Institute and the University of North Carolina’s Public Executive Leadership Academy.

“Jodi is self-driven but also excels in a team atmosphere,” Dickerson said. “I look forward to her bringing her wealth of knowledge and experience to this important role in the Town of Garner Manager’s Office.”

To learn more about the Town of Garner, please visit GarnerNC.gov.

Courtesy Town of Garner

Omicron Makes Its Mark: January 9, 2022 Covid-19 Update Numbers

Garner Christmas Parade Returns December 18th at 9:30am on Main Street

This year’s Garner Christmas Parade will be a little smaller and unlike previous years will not travel down Garner Road and Main Street but will only travel down Main Street.

Schedule of Events

8:30am Pre-Parade Food and Activities (More information coming soon!)

• Funnel Cakes by Tonio on Purvis St.

8:30am Parade Participant Staging

9:30am Parade Start Time  

10:45am Parade End Time             

Route and Parking

This year’s parade will travel down Main Street only.

There will be no parade activities or parking along Garner Road. There will be designated parking areas around downtown (see maps below)

For more information on parking visit GarnerChristmasParade.com

IMPORTANT: For you and your family’s safety, Do Not Cross the Railroad Tracks to get to Main Street at any point other than designated crossing locations at Highway 50, St. Mary’s Street, and New Rand Road. New fencing along Main Street cannot be climbed.

Voters Approve of Four Bond Questions, Incumbents Kathy Behringer and Gra Singleton Re-elected

via Town of Garner

Garner Voters Overwhelmingly Approve Bond Program

According to Tuesday’s unofficial municipal election results, Garner voters have overwhelmingly approved the $69 million bond program on the ballot in its entirety.

Garner residents were presented with the opportunity to decide on four bond questions concerning issuance of up to $24.05 million in Street and Sidewalk Improvement Bonds; up to $35.5 million in Parks and Recreational Bonds; up to $6.5 million in Public Safety and Services Facilities Bonds; and up to $2.95 million in Stormwater Bonds.

Unofficial results show extremely strong support for all four bond questions.

“We are excited but also humbled by the trust Garner voters have placed in us to pursue this ambitious program that will lay the groundwork for Garner’s future prosperity and orderly growth,” Mayor Ken Marshburn said. “We will carry out the bond program in a fiscally responsible manner with the goals of maintaining a great level of services and a quality of life that is second to none in this region.”

Some of the projects that the Town anticipates funding with the bonds include, but are not limited to, the following:

• widening and improvements on the portion of Jones Sausage Road between Interstate 40 and East Garner Road;

• phased development of parks on the Yeargan property on East Garner Road and the Meadowbrook property off of White Oak Road;

• construction of a new fire and EMS station in a fast-growing part of Garner around the U.S. 401-Ten Ten Road area;

• construction of a splashpad in a location yet to be determined;

• sidewalk installation projects in various parts of town;

• and improvements to aging stormwater infrastructure.

Garner officials estimate that a property-tax-rate increase of 2 cents per $100 assessed value will be needed to help service the debt on the bonds. That tax increase is expected to take effect in fiscal year 2023.

The Town will issue the bonds in tranches over several years. Bond projects also will be completed over a number of years.

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Unofficial election results indicate that Kathy Behringer and Gra Singleton won the two council seats and will serve for the next 4 years.

WakeMed Medical Assistant Morgan Wilder of Garner gets "Odd Request" at State Fair

What started as an "odd request" led to an exciting day at The North Carolina State Fair for WakeMed Medical Assistant Morgan Wilder of Garner.

Earlier this year WakeMed physician, Dr. Michael Soboeiro emailed what he called an "odd request" to N.C. State Fair officials asking them to honor Wilder, who assists Soboeiro at WakeMed's Garner Healthplex.

As Soboeiro's lead Medical Assistant, Wilder spent "months of long hours on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic," Soboeiro wrote. A life-long lover of The State Fair, Wilder was also "crushed" by the cancellation of the 2020 N.C. State Fair, Soboeiro added.

“I want you to know that there is no one in our organization who is more loyal and passionate than Morgan," Soboeiro wrote. "She has worked incredibly hard during the COVID epidemic, spending the majority of her weekends testing and then vaccinating people for the virus.

“When it comes to the State Fair, she is constantly urging everyone in the office to go. I suspect she knows the names, locations and menus of the long-time food vendors as well as many of your staff.”

Soboeiro's email led Fair officials to give Wilder "a special opportunity" to work as a judge of this year's Fair "fare" in the new foods and drinks category.

A State Fair press release stated: "For months, the State Fair team had been brainstorming ways to recognize the struggle we have all faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to honor those who have been on the front lines," and Soboeiro's email solved the problem.

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In July, N.C. State Fair Manager Kent Yelverton, Fair mascot Casey Cardinal and members of the Fair's "Deep Fried Crew" went to the WakeMed Garner Healthplex to surprise Morgan with the news, and give her a pass to the pre-Fair food judging event.

Yelverton said Soboeiro’s email has inspired "a new program where each year we will invite an Honorary New Foods Judge to come out to our Deep Fried Media Day and be part of the fun that is selecting our Media’s Choice Best New Food at the Fair. We wouldn’t be where we are today without all the healthcare workers across the state who have worked tirelessly to see us through to the other side. Morgan embodies the selfless service of the entire healthcare community, and we are honored to have her join us in October as a representative of all her colleagues.”

Wilder, 30, said being honored with what Fair officials called "a delicious new role," was a blast. At the pre-Fair food tasting, Wilder got to sample 14 different new foods and drinks. "I got a tray of all the samples of all the foods," Wilder said. Items included everything from tater tots, chicken, banana pudding to smoothies. It was "the lobster pop," however, that won Wilder's heart. A deep fried lobster tail on a stick -- a $28 item at the Fair's Oak City Restaurant -- was the entry Wilder selected as her favorite food.

Wilder said she enjoyed all the foods and drinks she tasted, but "the lobster was absolutely the best," she said. "(But) I don't think I can quite afford to purchase that."

Wilder, who grew up in Wake County, is married to Brandon and is the mother of their 4-year-old son, Maddox. Her love of the State Fair was passed down to her by her parents, both of whom have birthdays during the Fair. Wilder said she has attended the Fair "absolutely every year of my life," and always comes several times each year.

Wilder said she's indebted to Soboeiro for suggesting her for the honor. "Without Dr. Soboeiro this dream of mine wouldn't have come true, and I'm forever grateful for his 'odd request!'"

In her work as a Medical Assistant, Wilder assists both doctors and nurses. Her training allows her to do many levels of patient care. "The only thing we can't do is give advice and start IVs," she said.

Health care work during the pandemic has brought challenges, Wilder said, including exhaustion and worry for her patients. "I think as anyone would tell you, it's been hard, but it's also very rewarding being able to help, and to know that you're making a difference," she said. "I think COVID's changed health care in the world a lot; it's changed everything we do. There are new protocols for everything; new ways of approaching all patient care."

Regarding her official role in this year's Fair, Wilder said: "It was fantastic; I wish I could do it every year."

Citizens Rally to Save Garner Christmas Parade

Not to be denied in the face of staff shortages in town, a group of citizens have rallied to the rescue.

In coordination with the Town of Garner, Garner Fire & Rescue, and the Garner Police Department, a community-led parade is in the making for December 18th in downtown Garner.

With some details still to be worked out, nearly 2 dozen groups have already confirmed their participation in the parade. All hoping to bring back this great Garner tradition, even if on a slightly smaller scale.

2021 The Garner Christmas Parade is a citizen-led community Christmas Parade.

It’s state goal is “to create and host a festive and family-friendly Christmas Parade that reflects Garner’s values and one that is local, inclusive, and bridges Garner’s past with Garner’s future.

The holiday season is about love, kindness, and giving. It is families and our community coming together to celebrate our town and making great memories for our kids and all of us that are kids at heart.”

If you are interested in volunteering click HERE

For more information visit garnerchristmasparade.com

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From the Garner Christmas Parade Facebook Page (HERE)

Garner folks will always find a way! The community has come together to host the Garner Christmas Parade on December 18th in Downtown Garner.

Working with the Town of Garner, Garner Fire & Rescue, The Garner Police Department, and interested residents, we are going to have a kid and community-focused Christmas parade.

More details to come so please visit garnerchristmasparade.com

Sign-up for updates and, if you want to help, sign-up to volunteer.

Many thanks to our planning committee:

Rachel Tourdot (Co-Chair) – Downtown Garner Association Vice Chair. Downtown Resident.

Demian Dellinger (Co-chair) – Downtown Garner Association President. Garner Town Council.

Shannon Mitchell - Christy’s DancExplosion and Spiritual Twist

Don Penny – Community Member

Kentrell Perry – Downtown Business Owner

Joyce Steven - Downtown Garner Association board member

Kim Woodard – Garner Fire & Rescue

Garner Blue Ribbon Winner Cross Stitch

By PATRICK O'NEILL

When Christin Danchi started a store-bought cross stitch pattern of a European streetscape she was a freshman at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Now 35 years old, Danchi managed to cash in on her effort many years later when she won two awards for her finished work at The North Carolina State Fair.

"This one took me like 12 years to complete," Danchi said. After finishing the cross stitch project in January, Danchi decided to enter the piece in the Fair's "First-Time Entry" category.

She ended up with the Blue Ribbon in the "Threaded Needlecraft" category, and she also won The Cardinal Chapter of the Embroiderer's Guild of America Award for first-time entries by “Judges Choice," earning $50 in prize money.

Danchi said she probably paid less than $50 for the winning pattern, so she broke better-than even on her initial investment. "I had my eye on it for many years before I bought it," she said of the pattern.

Danchi said she usually worked on her winning piece during the holidays in November and December, and she would take it with her when she was traveling.

"It tends to be something I do when I have some down time, to keep my hands busy when life slows down a little bit," she said. "I can distinctly remember when I started it, on a trip I took to Michigan in 2009. It's a bittersweet memory because it was for my grandmother's funeral."

Danchi said it was her grandmother, Barbara Carroll, who helped her learn how to cross stitch during Carroll's visit to North Carolina when Danchi was 11 years old.

"She worked with me on the first cross stitch I ever did," Danchi said.

Danchi is a multi-dimensional person to say the least. She earned her undergraduate degree in music from UNC and her masters in music from Carnegie Mellon University, both in "violin performance." She is associate director of development at Durham's Emily Krzyzewski Center, a nonprofit educational organization that implements programs designed to build on the academic, career and leadership potential of students who are traditionally underrepresented in higher education, Danchi said.

Danchi has three siblings, Andrea, Michael and Elizabeth, all of whom are violinists. Danchi refers to herself as a "classically trained, freelance violinist who also enjoys a good fiddle tune. Music is an incredibly important part of my life and who I am."

Two years ago, Danchi, who is single, and her sister Andrea bought and renovated a house together in Garner, spending 15 months on the project. "We moved into the place in August of 2020," she said. "We have the absolute best neighbors and have loved living in Garner."

Growing up in Wake County, Danchi said she has been "coming to the state fair every year for almost my entire life.

"My siblings and I used to enter the youth arts and craft competitions as children. As we got older and life got busier, we stopped participating in the competitions, but every year we would still enjoy looking at all of the entries and winners. I don't do all the arts and crafts that I did when I was a kid, but I realized that my cross-stitch project was something I could enter as an adult.

"I've been slowly working on it for the past several years with the goal of entering it in the fair. I completed it this year and it was finally ready to enter in the 2021 fair."

Borrowing from this year's State Fair theme, Danchi said of her Blue Ribbon effort: "You might say it was 'worth the wait' to finally be able to enter it after 12 years of work!

"One of my favorite aspects of the N.C. State Fair is that we still recognize and celebrate the incredible skill and time that goes into creating a unique piece of art, whether that's culinary art, visual art, needlepoint, or another medium. Every piece is a labor of love and one-of-a-kind, whether it wins a ribbon or not. And I love being a small part of that celebration.

Danchi already has her next cross stitch project underway. It's a Route 66 scene that includes an old pickup truck, a general store and a motorcycle. Danchi said she plans to add a few "animals" to "add some life" to the scene. It will be her first cross stitch effort where she deviates from the pattern. She says she's excited to see how the experiment works out.

Be sure to look for Danchi's next blue ribbon winner at the 2034 N.C. State Fair!

Editor's Note: If you would like to see Danchi perform, she and some friends will be doing a Halloween show at Revival 1869 in Clayton, October 29.

North Carolina State Fair Returns and Senior Citizens Will Pay

BY PATRICK O’NEILL

A year after the Covid pandemic shut the gates of the North Carolina State Fair the 2021 edition of the Fair is ready to open on Thursday, Oct. 14 with hopes that fairgoers can be safe from infection despite the Department of Agriculture's decision to not require anyone to wear masks at this largely outdoor event.

The Fair will be open 11 days with the last day being on Sunday, Oct. 24.

This year's Fair theme is "Worth the Wait," and will include the usual fare of rides, games, exhibits and food. The cost of entry is $13 for an adult, $7 for children ages 5 through 12 (under 5 are free) and -- very sadly -- $5 for seniors.

Seniors No Longer Allowed Free Admission

For more than 35 years I have been going to the Fair knowing that when I turn 65 my trips to the extravaganza would be free. I turned 65 this year, and senior citizens are no longer free!

This decision, by Fair officials, is a huge mistake that probably has long-time N.C. Department of Agriculture Commissioner Jim Graham spinning in his grave. Not only is this a greedy move, it will most certainly make life far more difficult for seniors, who will now have to wait in long lines (in all kinds of weather) to purchase tickets instead of being able to walk directly into the Fair with no waiting.

Some seniors have ambulatory and balance problems that will be exasperated by this new policy. One can only hope the Department of Agriculture will see the error of its ways and revert to the "Seniors get in Free" policy of year's past.

Fair officials are going to throw seniors a bone: Tuesday Oct. 19 is Senior Citizen's Day so us old folks get in free on that day only.

Other Theme Days

Canned Food Day

Other special days include the ever-popular "Canned Food Day" on Thursday Oct. 21. Known this year as "Hunger Relief Day," anyone with six cans of food gets in free. All the cans are donated to the Food Bank of North Carolina. On Military Appreciation Day, Wednesday Oct. 20 active military get into the Fair for $8.

accessABILITY Day

On a positive note, this year's Fair will include accessABILITY Day on Sunday, Oct. 17.

"For years, our team has been brainstorming ways to make the fair more inclusive and more welcoming to all North Carolinians, regardless of ability," stated a Fair press release.

On accessABITY Day, from 8 a.m. till noon, the Fair will quiet down:

• Rides and games will open at 9 a.m. and operate with no lights or music playing.

• Vendors will operate with no lights or music at their booths.

• Music stages will only play acoustic sets with light amplification.

• The public address system will only be used for lost visitor announcements.
  

All-day activities on accessABILITY Day include:

• A “Bandwidth Chill Out Zone” in the Graham Building with tables/chairs, low lighting and soft music playing for anyone needing a break from the busy atmosphere outside and noise cancelling headphones will be available to check out

• Specially designed inclusive and/or adaptive “on the spot” competitions.

• Adult changing stations in existing family restrooms as space allows, now available year-round.

• Guidebooks available to download or pick up at guest services which highlight all the inclusive activities and amenities the Fair is offering.

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Garner Grows Returns to the State Fair

As is the case every year, the Garner Grows Community Garden will have a lot going on at the Fair.

Despite her fears of the virus, Garner gardening stalwart, Tammy Kennedy, has already brought a lot of her competitive entries of plants, flowers and vegetables to the Fair hoping to win both ribbons and cash. While Kennedy always takes home a boatload of ribbons, any monetary winnings will be donated to Garner Grows, which is still looking for a new patch of land to set down its roots more than a year after the garden lost its home on Vandora Springs Rd. The second time Garner Grows has had to relocate in its 11-plus-year history

"We really want this to be the last time we move; it's heartbreaking, expensive and incredibly difficult in many ways," Kennedy told The Garner News.

Kennedy said Garner Grows presence at the Fair has "grown each year and the last fair in 2019 we did a ton, even having a market stall in horticulture (which we got second place for).

"We had to scale back some this year. We're hoping next year will be back to normal."

Now that Garner Grows has a lead on a new permanent location, Kennedy is ready to settle down again.

"We are so excited at the thought of being in one place again," she said. "It's still months to go before that happens but at least there's a sliver of hope now."

Be sure to check out the Fair garden and look for Garner Grows' entries, and have a good time.

Town Council Candidate Forum Slated for Oct. 11 at 6:30pm

The Garner Chamber of Commerce will host a Town Council candidate forum Monday, Oct. 11 at 6:30 p.m. at Garner Performing Arts Center.

The forum will be moderated by Loretta Boniti, senior political reporter for Spectrum News 1. There will be some in-person seating, but the forum will also be streamed on the Chamber of Commerce Facebook Page.

This is not a Town-sponsored event, and no public funds will be used to endorse or oppose any candidate.

Fall Unprepared Yard Waste Pickup Starts in November

The Town's 2021 fall unprepared yard waste collection begins the week of Nov. 1. During the fall cleanup, the Town collects any unprepared yard waste and debris (it does not have to be bagged or bundled) as well as tires (limit four rimless tires per residence). 

Residents may put items out curbside one week prior to the start of their scheduled collection week.

The Town will not collect yard waste or debris generated by commercial enterprises, nor will it collect large household items during this special pickup. 

Here is the planned schedule for this special collection:

• Monday (red and gray routes) and Wednesday (orange and white routes): collection starts Monday, Nov. 1

• Thursday (purple and yellow routes) and Friday (blue and brown routes): collection starts Monday, Nov. 8

• Tuesday (green, gold and tan routes): collection starts Monday, Nov. 15

For more information, please contact Public Works at publicworksservicedesk@garnernc.gov or at 919.772.7600. 

If you believe that you were missed during your collection week, please contact Public Works during that week to arrange for service.

Via Town of Garner