"I think without question the property will be zoned," Willardson told The Record shortly before the meeting began. "We have met all the required statutes. The overwhelming senti-ment of the people out in State Road is that they want the zoning." County Manager Gary Page said the desired zoning would include residential and agricultural use. "It would prohibit institutional use like that (proposed by FIRST)." Zoning could take 60 to 90 days, Planning Board Chairman Charlie Sink told the crowd. The board must consider the application, then pass it to county commissioners with a recommendation, said Planning Director Paul Robinson. From there, a public hearing would take place, then the commissioners could make their decision.

       "If it's fast tracked, it would go straight to commissioners," Page said. Their next meeting is on Aug. 7. FIRST paid $525,000 for the property, which straddles Pleasant Ridge Road. State Road residents last week offered to buy the land, but FIRST officials refused. Opponents to the center have met twice in the past week. They have organized a petition drive and pondered ways to push FIRST out of their neighborhood. Many of those residents lined the wall in the standing-room only Commissioners' Meeting Room on Monday. "I don't like it a bit," Harvey Collins said in an interview. "They're (FIRST) six doors down from our house." He and other residents fear crime may escalate in their community if FIRST moves in. Residents say clients of the center would be allowed to "wander" freely from the facility. That particularly concerns Rod and Mary Lyon, the owners of Tender Touch Daycare. Ron Lyon said that FIRST's land adjoins the play area of their daycare.

       "Any of them (FIRST clients) could be there in just a few minutes if they wanted to," he said. "I'm retired from law enforcement," Rod Lyon said. "I know who these people are." Rachel Wolfe agreed. "I'm totally opposed to this," she said. State Road is the kind of community where residents have been able to live at ease for decades, Rod Lyon said. As he saw furniture being moved to the proposed center on Monday, he said, "I've lived out there for 41 years. Today was the first day I every locked my doors."

       Yadkin River Greenway officials are busy securing easements and planning a capital fundraiser for the $1 million project. Since local governments gave the Greenway the green light in May, plans are coming together, said Tom Frazer, a charter member of the Greenway committee. Frazer said enthusiasm is high among project proponents and members of the community. "I think this is something everybody wants," he said. "We certainly encourage the commu-nity to learn about the Greenway and support it when it comes time for us to ask." Most recently, the Yadkin River Greenway has received, for the second year, a $20,000 grant from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation for operations costs, said Greenway Publicity Chairman Lena Johnson. The first phase of the Yadkin River Greenway will include 2.59 miles of bicycle and walking trails. Those trails will stretch from Wilkes Regional Medical Center in North Wilkesboro to the Old Wilkes Jail in Historic Downtown Wilkesboro. The phase will also include access points to fishing spots and canoe launches. Project consultant Theresa Stewart said construction of the Greenway could begin in the next few months. "We're in the process of getting easements for the DOT," Stewart said in an interview with The Record on Monday. "If they (DOT) send us back a signed agreement by mid-August, work could begin this fall."

       The state Department of Transportation has awarded the project a $400,000 grant for a bike trail. County commissioners and board members in Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro all agreed to put up $133,333 each. That money will be paid back to local governments once the project is complete. The first phase of the project will cost around $1 million, Frazer said. That's where the fundraiser comes in. "We'll start that in the very near future," Frazer said. "The people who are doing this are all volunteers and community minded and care about this." Increasing public awareness of the proposed Greenway is another immediate goal, Frazer said. There are plans to put a display at Wilkes Mall, which may include a mural and a video presentation. Although the Greenway will be located between the Wilkesboros, Frazer said residents in outlying areas of Wilkes are also supportive of the project. "If people can actually use this as part of their daily routine, they can get fit while going to work," he said. "For people who live in Ronda or Traphill and work in Wilkesboro, it may be more about health and recreation than commuting."

       Johnson said, "I'm hearing a lot of positive response because (the trails) will be linear and not circular." When asked if the Greenway could become a crime haven like parks in larger cities, Frazer said no. "Greenway crime statistics are low," he said. Along with the intergovernmental agreement between the county and the two towns comes commitments of law enforcement of the area, Frazer added. The Greenway will observe the same rules as other county parks, Stewart said. Hours of operation will likely be from dawn to dusk. Work on the project began five years ago, Frazer said. "None of us are experts, but we're learning as we go." He and others are already looking ahead. "Eventually, for example, a child that goes to North Wilkesboro Elementary School can get on his bike and ride to the YMCA," Frazer said. "There will be people who may want to ride their bikes to work."

       It will cost Wilkes County between $4,000 and $5,000 annually to maintain the proposed Yadkin River Greenway. "We don't think it will be much," said County Manager Gary Page. Although Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro are expected to help with the expense, Wilkes County government will be responsible for the work, Page said. "Only about 25 percent of the Greenway is in the towns," Page said. "We may try to get back $1,000 from them." In order to receive a $400,000 grant from the state, a 20-year maintenance contract is required, County Attorney Tony Triplett said during a May county commissioners' meeting. Some maintenance items would include a 10-feet asphalt strip with crushed stone shoulders on each side to used as a bicycle trial. "What we'll do is pick up litter, police the trails for limbs and leaves after storms and occasionally sweep off the gravel," Page said. Law enforcement costs should not go up for the county or the towns, Page said. "There are no plans to station officers there," he said. "Calls would be handled on a case-by-case basis. I hope it wouldn't require much attention."

       Page and Wilkes County Parks and Recreation Director Kevin Anderson will supervise the building of the Greenway along with the administration of funds. Again, Page expects no significant cost to the county. "We'll serve as the administrators of the grant," Page said. "Our board will award the bids and we'll keep up with it from a financial standpoint." He added, "Since it's a one time thing, I don't envision us billing that back to the towns. Our job will be to see that it's built to spec. We'll pay the bills on a one-third basis until all the money is spent." When the project is complete, state officials will inspect the work. Wilkes, Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro have committed $133,333 each to "front" the money for the $400,000 grant. "When they (state officials) come and see it was built like we said it would be, they'll write us a check for $400,000," Page said. "Then we'll reimburse the towns." The second phase of the Greenway project will likely be in North Wilkesboro. "We may let them administer that," Page said. The proposed Yadkin River Greenway will be a plus for residents and help attract new industry here, Page said. "It's a quality of life thing for the community," he said. "When people talk about the county marketing itself, it's about having that little extra that your community may have over an-other. In the long run, you never know what will tip the scales in your favor."

       Heaters have been fixed, the roof is being repaired and cable television is on the way. That's some of the improvements that have either come or are coming to Wilkes Towers. Tonya Oliver, the new manager of the seven-story apartment building on Main Street in North Wilkesboro, says she's pushing for the upgrades. But, "Rome wasn't built in a day, and Wilkes Towers won't be cleaned up in a day," said Oliver, who took the job in May. She replaced former Wilkes Towers manager Faye Elledge, who left because of health reasons. Since she started, Oliver says she has spent a lot of time talking to residents. "I love visiting with the them. That's my favorite part of the job," she told The Record during an interview Friday. Besides seeing the place fixed up, residents want activities, Oliver said. "That's one thing I'm good at doing." Before taking the job at "The Towers," Oliver spent three years as resident coordinator for the North Wilkesboro Department of Housing. There she organized anti-drug and pro-literacy programs for tenants. She was a key organizer for the anti-drug rally held on Third Street. Many Wilkes Towers residents are elderly. Oliver says she also has experience working with senior citizens, having spent years working in a nursing home in her native state of Florida.

       Contrasting her apparent optimism, some Wilkes Towers residents are skeptical about the promised improvements. "You don't know whether to believe them or not," one resident said Tuesday. He says he's seen residents "walking the halls drunk" and has heard them threaten other tenants. "I've heard that they've pulled guns on people," the man said. Another resident says she's also concerned about unruly residents. "When I see them, I just go the other way." She has noticed little improvements in recent weeks. "They've been working on the roof," she said. "As far as anything else, there's nothing new that I know of." One resident told about an alleged drug dealer who was evicted in the interim between Elledge's departure and Oliver's arrival at The Towers. "When the lady who was running it got sick, it (The Towers) got a little bit out of hand," said North Wilkesboro Police Chief David Pendry. Residents had complained to police about high traffic in one man's room. Police searched the room. Officers found eight to 10 rocks of crack cocaine according to Capt. Butch Holland. "When we arrested him, most of the outside traffic in The Towers stopped," Holland said. Both Pendry and Holland say they have faith in Oliver. "She's not going to let too much go on," Holland said. "Once you stop a problem it usually won't start back." Oliver says disruptive behavior won't be tolerated at The Towers. She says she runs criminal record checks on prospective residents. "I tell them point blank, 'You cannot bother the other tenants."

       She was "working out a few remaining problems" last week. "If I have a problem with someone, I want to talk to them first," Oliver said. Oliver had apparently built a good reputation among North Wilkesboro officials. Town Clerk Kay Minton called Oliver a go-getter. "She did a great job while she was here." Missy Wiles, housing specialist for the North Wilkesboro Department of Housing worked with Oliver there. "She's a good person and a hard worker," Wiles said. Wiles said that Oliver's anti-drug rallies were successful. She also said that Oliver was an expert activity coordinator. During Oliver's time with the Department of Housing, she planned activities for public housing residents. "At Christmas, she made sure all the kids got presents," Wiles said. "At Easter, she organized Easter egg hunts for the kids." Wilkes Towers is the tallest building in town, rising well above its neighbor, North Wilkesboro Town Hall at the corner of Main and Ninth streets. The building has been a downtown landmark since it opened Jan. 1, 1927 as Wilkes Hotel. Renovations came in the late 70s. Then, the hotel rooms were converted into HUD (Hous-ing and Urban Development) subsidized apartments. Elledge became manager there six years ago. There are 72 apartments in the building. All but two or three were occupied in early February, Elledge told The Record. On Friday, 67 of the apartments were occupied, Oliver said. Residents pay a portion of their rent while HUD picks up the balance. In February, one tenant showed a copy of his rent agreement at Wilkes Towers. He said he pays $216 of the monthly contract rent of $578 per month. The housing assistance payment is $362 per month. His share of the rent, he said, is based around his income and medical expenses. The North Wilkesboro Department of Housing administers the HUD funding. Each month, nearly $30,000 in HUD funds goes through the office for Wilkes Towers. Officials with the department also inspect the building.

       In February, after calls from residents and The Record pertaining to problems at the towers, Joseph Alston, the town's executive director of Public Housing and Urban Development, contacted the owners at HAPI Management in Bowie, Md. A short time later, broken heaters were fixed. Oliver says she doesn't want problems to get out of hand. "I have an open door policy," she said. "I tell the residents if they need to talk, we'll talk."

       The 55 Wilkes County veterans who died in WWI are far from forgotten. Jim McCarter and others are working hard to preserve their memory. As chairman of the Memorial Avenue Tree Committee, McCarter is helping oversee the restoration of the WWI monument. Starting next spring, he hopes to see portions of the 55 original sugar maples replaced with new trees. A $3,900 down payment was made for 55 Green Mountain sugar maples recently. They are much like the existing maples, McCarter said. So far the committee has raised about $10,000 of the $100,000 needed for the project, McCarter told The Record during a Monday night interview. Restoration of the monument began early this month. The stone structure has been gingerly moved several feet up the hill. A new water fountain will be installed along with a new bronze plaque, which will include the names of all 55 veterans who died in WWI. The original plaque has only 52 names, McCarter said. Cost of the monument's restoration will be between $5,000 and $6,000, he added. The work is long overdue. Memorial Avenue, now known as Ninth Street, was originally dedicated to the veterans in November 1920. More than 50 sugar maples were planted along the hill, flanked by stately homes. Each tree was planted as a tribute to a fallen veteran.

       Since, many of the trees have become diseased. Some are rotted and are considered dangerous to residents and pedestrians. The monument has long since settled into the red clay beneath the sidewalk at the corner of Ninth and D streets and leaned distinctly until the move. Efforts to restore Memorial Avenue began last November. The project kick off was held during a Veterans Day ceremony. The restoration is a town project, McCarter says. North Wilkesboro town commissioners formed a committee made up of residents and members of Chapter 33 of the Disabled American Veterans, Post 42 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Post 31 of the American Legion. McCarter is a life member of all three groups. North Wilkesboro Mayor Conley Call said that was one reason he was appointed as chairman of the committee. That committee formulated its plan and went to work raising funds. Members have been targeting friends and acquaintances for the first round of donations. A public fundraiser will start soon, McCarter said. Residents along Ninth Street have grown attached to the old trees. That's why a comparable replacement was sought. "We want to replace them with sugar maples," McCarter said. Upon planting, the trees will stand 10 to 12 feet tall and measure about 2 ¼ inches around the base. These trees will grow 45 to 65 feet tall. They are being grown in a nursery in Julian, which is near Greensboro. McCarter hopes 14 to 16 of the trees will be planted next spring.

       A ceremony has already been scheduled for Nov. 11 (Veterans Day). Then, the monument will be rededicated. McCarter hopes for more. "I'd like for us to be able to dedicate the one tree nearest the monument then," he said. Money is needed to complete the project. "We want to get a large contribution from maybe a corporation before we kick off a general public fundraiser," McCarter said. Although the trees will be replaced in phases, a tree specialist will be called in annually to supervise work like trimming and pruning. "This will be a continual thing," McCarter said. "Hopefully this will be something we can keep up indefinitely." Donations can be sent to The Memorial Avenue Tree Fund at P.O. Box 218, North Wilkesboro. Checks should be written to Memorial Avenue Tree Fund, McCarter said. He can also be reached by phone at 667-1815. Anyone donating $100 or more will receive a miniature monument, complete with the names of the 55 veterans. Having worked with veterans' groups for more than a decade, McCarter takes the Memorial Avenue project personal. "We need to remember all these people who gave the ultimate sacrifice so we can live in this free country," he said.