Hundreds gather for county budget hearing

By JERRY LANKFORD

Record Editor

Crowds spilled out of the Wilkes County Commissioners room, into the front lobby, out the doorway and into the parking lot of the County Office Building in Wilkesboro on Tuesday evening.

The crowd, numbering several hundred, were there to protest proposed cuts to the county budget and a possible tax hike.

A public hearing on the proposed budget $73.1 million 2010-11 county budget, is what drew the crowds. This budget recommends about $2.7 million in cuts from the current operating year.

The hearing started at 5 p.m. and ended at 6:30 p.m., after 23 different people, mostly educators with Wilkes County Schools, spoke to commissioners.

Dr. Steve Laws, superintendent of Wilkes County Schools, urged commissioner to rethink the proposed 15 percent cuts in county funds (around $1.85 million) to the schools.

Dr. Gordon Burns, president of Wilkes Community College also spoke about the proposed 15 percent cut to the college. The 2010-2011 recommended appropriation for the Wilkes Community College is $3,165,129. 

Wilkes County Librarian Jennifer Murray also addressed the board.

Murray said Wilkes Public Library is looking at a predicted $123,480 in cuts to the library’s  2010-11 operating budget.

Library hours have already been reduced from 60 hours per week to 54. The proposed reduction in funds would mean cutting back to 40 operating hours per week.

Two full-time library employees were laid off last week with more lay offs expected. And, all outreach services, including the bookmobile and services to elderly and disabled residents, have been suspended.

Wilkes Sheriff Dane Mastin told board members that cuts to the budget means cuts in services which will hurt all residents.

The proposed budget also includes an 8-cent tax hike to the current 57 cents per $100 property evaluation.

A budget workshop was held prior to the public hearing.

Commissioner Keith Elmore said that 2 cents can be cut from the rate and suggested cutting 5 percent more to the county’s allocation to non-profit organizations. He also said that $1.6 million could be saved annually if county employees took one furlough day per month.

No action was taken on the budget on Tuesday. The budget must be approved by July 1.

 

 

ChickenFest draws strong crowds

When the rain hit Friday evening at ChickenFest, Charles Tesh didn’t mind.

The Wilkes singer/songwriter, left The Sammy Lankford Stage and pulled up a chair beneath the audience shelter and sang and played his guitar up close and personal with audience members.

But, the rain didn’t last long and the show went on.

ChickenFest, the annual three-day music festival held each Memorial Day weekend at The Record Park in North Wilkesboro, drew strong crowds this past weekend.

The festival was hosted by The Record.

The event began on Friday evening with a set by The Local Boys, which offered a mix of hyped up bluegrass flavors and eclectic stylings.

Friday was Hometown Opry Night at The Record Park and was hosted by WKBC Radio personalities Steve Handy and Ed Racey.

A straight up bluegrass set was served up by R.G. Absher and the Grasshoppers which had dedicated fans rocking in their seats.

The festival resumed at 11 a.m. on Saturday with a set of mostly Scott-Irish ballads performed by vocalist guitarist Keith Watts and backing banjo by Jerry Lankford, who is also editor of The Record and one of the event organizers.

Steve Englebert, a veteran of ChickenFest, who also helps run the sound equipment for the event, was up next with an array of acoustic songs which are always crowd pleasers.

North Wilkesboro Mayor Robert Johnson and Congresswoman Virginia Foxx both welcomed the crowd on Saturday. At noon, a Memorial Day service was held by VFW Post 1142. Lauren Stutts of Hamptonville, a student a UNC-Chapel Hill, sang the National Anthem. Record Publisher Ken Welborn addressed the crowd and introduced Stutts and members of the VFW. Mace Johnson, chaplain of the post, gave the invocation.

Gabriella Lankford, an upcoming third-grader at Millers Creek Elementary School, performed for the fourth time at ChickenFest. She sang Tom Dooley, Washed in the Blood and I’ll Fly Away, accompanied by her father, Jerry, on banjo and Keith Mangold on guitar.

Stutts returned to the stage and performed American Honey, Barbara Allen and Wayfaring Stranger to the crowd’s delight.

The Bobby  Billings Band made its ChickenFest debut with a mix of new country stylings and patriotic songs.

Porch Dog Revival, another festival newcomer, wowed the crowd with a strong set of acoustic music.

Wilkes-based blue band Rude Mood was next on stage. Always a festival favorite, the band had visitors dancing and singing along.

Famed area fiddler Ernest Johnson followed with a set of hard driving bluegrass. Johnson made several appearances on both The Sammy Lankford Stage and the Tut Taylor Spotlight Stage with various musicians.

Lynn Stellmach and Kirk Walker then took the stage, performing mostly Civil War-era music. Stellmack on banjo and vocals and Walker on guitar, offered a powerful performance.

Deeper Roots, featuring Rick Brockner, Andy Rhodes, Steve Barker and Jerry Lankford, then performed a set of blues standards and original songs.

Sonny Remington, Michael Earp and Steve Englebert played a set which featured the Ballad of the Green Berets and Kansas City.

Shelby area-based Maple Creek, made up of Wayne Pinson, his son, Jared, and daughter, Rachel, did a powerful performance, featuring several bluegrass favorites.

The original lineup of the Elkville String Band – Herb Key, Drake Walsh, Bill Williams, Nicole Vidrine and Jerry Lankford – were next on stage performing mostly songs the group played for the stage play Tom Dooley: A Wilkes County Legend.

Grammy Award winning Dobro player Tut Taylor was then joined on stage by Steve and Lorrie Barker and Rick Gaughan for a set of melodic songs accompanied by bluegrass instrumentation.

Several musicians performed for the first time at ChickenFest this year. These included bassist Wes Orborne, Mangold, Adam Younce and Larry Griffin. Others who performed on the Tut Taylor Spotlight Stage included Sandy and Betty Davis, and Lynn Swaim and Jimmy Wagoner. Swaim and Wagoner, along with Swaim’s late husband, Donnie, had been instrumental at ChickenFest in years past in helping organize acts for the Tut Taylor Spotlight Stage.

Closing out Saturday’s day of music was David Johnson. He brought with him his cousin, Eric Ellis and several other longtime bluegrass accomplices Ronnie Black and Scott and Mark Gentry. Johnson and Ellis are both members of the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame and the band fired off a white hot set of banjo/fiddle based music.

Johnson and Ellis were on stage again Sunday morning. They are both also member of Arbor Grove Methodist Church in Purlear. The two played opening music for a church service held at the park, led by Arbor Grove Pastor Ed McKinney.

The service was followed by an afternoon of spiritual music.

Steve and Lorrie Barker of Union Grove returned to perform a lilting set, featuring Mrs. Barkers vocal stylings.

Southern gospel favorites The Davis Family then performed a high energy performance. Sunday was the fourth time the group has been at The Record Park.

Members of The Key City Boys, Talk of the Town along with Ernest Johnson and Ralph Clanton closed out the festival with a set of bluegrass gospel.

Larry Skipper, Steve Englebert and Tom Myers ran sound for the event.

Food vendors included Arbor Grove Methodist, Church of God Union Assembly and Dennyville Baptist Church.

A children’s activity area was manned by the staff of Wilkes Smart Start.

Also, members of the Wilkes County Quilters Guild were on hand, giving out information about their organization.

John Scorof, who assist with events at The Record Park, help prepare the grounds for the festival. His wife, Joan, donated her time and materials for the flower beds at the park.

 

 

 

Rodeo to be July 9-10

Wilkes Smart Start will present the annual Mid-Atlantic Sanctioned Championship Pro Rodeo on Friday and Saturday, July 9 and July 10.

The event will feature an array of rodeo competitions including bronco riding, calf roping, bull riding and more. It will be held at the Rotary Fair Grounds at Worth Tomlinson Park next to West Park on the 421 Bypass in North Wilkesboro.

The rodeo is a community outreach program for Wilkes Smart Start.

The rodeo will begin each evening at 8 p.m., with the gates opening at 6 p.m. Concessions will be available.

Admission for adults is $12 and $6 for children ages 6 to 12. Children 5 and under will be admitted free.

 

 

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Community Happenings

Wilkes Toastmasters is an interactive workshop to improve your communication and leadership skills.  Meetings are held every Thursday 6:30 pm – 7:45 pm at the Addison Inn on Hwy 421 N in Wilkesboro.  For additional information, email wilkestoastmasters@gmail.com or visit Toastmasters.org.

 

Vacation Bible School will be held at Congo Pentecostal Holiness Church, located off West Hwy 421 N on South Holinesses Church Road, and the theme will be Son Harvest, Growing the Fruit of the Spirit. The dates are May 30, June 6, 13, and 27 (Sunday evenings only.)  The times will be from 5:30-7:30 each night.

Classes for all ages.

 

Mayo's Baseball School: Dream Bat Baseball Camp Fundamental Baseball Clinic. June 29-July 2 9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon, ages 6-14, Memorial Park, North Wilkesboro $150.00 membership fee. Free T-shirt for every camper. Registration deadline June 4, after which a $15.00 late fee will be charged. Spaces are limited. For more information contact Jeff Mayo at 336-684-4861 E-mail: mayosbaseballschool@charter.net.

 

Allen and Sharon Yates will be singing on Sunday night, June 6 at 6 p.m. at Sandy Flat Baptist Church, located on Highway 221, two miles from Blowing Rock.  Everyone is welcome. For more information, call

336-264-3357.

 

The Humane Society of Wilkes offers registration for the low cost spay/neuter clinic every Tuesday night, from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Wilkes County Public Library.  Registered pets are transported to the clinic on the second Monday of each month. For more information please call 336-984-0227.

Thankful Community Club will have a home-cooked breakfast fundraiser on Saturday, June 5 from 6:30 a.m. -10:00 a.m. at Thankful Community Club in Boomer, NC.  Plates are $6 for adults and $4 for those under age 13.  All proceeds will benefit the club.

 

Mt. Valley Baptist Church will hold a port-a-pit chicken-que on Saturday, June 5, beginning at 10 a.m.  Plates are $6.00 each and all proceeds will benefit the church and Jim and Claire Bell Martin descendants. 

 

You are invited to a Vacation Bible School at Oak Grove Baptist Church in Millers Creek on June 7-11. Supper will be provided at 6:15 p.m. and classes for all ages begin at 7:00.