Saturday morning, a female English Redtick Coonhound was hit by a car around
Christenbury Rd. and Gibbon Rd. in Charlotte Of course, the man who hit her
kept going but two other people stopped to help. The man who stopped tried to
get her out of the road and she tore into his arm. Animal Control was called but
by the time they got there, she had died.
This poor girl has on a "competition collar" that has two phone numbers, both
invalid. No rabies tag was attached to the collar. The owners need to be located
ASAP to see if she was current on her rabies shot. If they can't be found soon,
the man who was bitten will need to undergo rabies treatment himself.
If you have any information at all about this dog, please contact Charlotte Animal
Care & Control. Call 311 --- submitted by Patty Galloway
============================================
Valentine treat for Mom:
Saturday, February 13th
FREE CHILD CARE at Mothers' Morning Out
10am. to 12:30 pm, Cole Memorial United Methodist Church,
2022 West Sugar Creek Road
For pre-registered children nursery through 5th grade
There will be crafts, singing, games, snack, stories, and a short movie.
Please call 704-596-2356 today and sign up.
Let our family take care of your family!!
============================================
Sunday, Jan. 17th
Chief Monroe at NorthEast Coalition Meeting
3pm, University Region Library on WT Harris Blvd.
The Northeast Coalition invites you to hear our guest speaker will be Chief Rodney
Monroe. Also speaking will be City Councilman Michael Barnes who will introduce
our new mayor, Anthony Foxx and our newly elected Councilmen-at-Large David
Howard and Pat Cannon. They will discuss their goals and answer questions from
the group. All are welcome to come and join us.
Election of the new NEC board is also on the schedule. Refreshments will be
served.
For further information please email cgftjf@aol.com or call 704-596-8288.
==================================
Thursday, January 21st
Open House
Northside Christian Academy will host an Open House on Thursday, January 21st
at 10:00 am or 6:30 pm for 5K-12th grade.
For information please contact 704.599.9015, pstarkey@ncaknights.com or
www.ncaknights.com.
==================================
Thursday, January 21st
CMPD Neighborhood Community Advisory Council Meeting
For residents that attend the Neighborhood Community Advisory Council Meeting
at the North Division office, the NCAC meeting date has been changed to January
21st at 7 PM. Please contact Officer Travis or Officer Giannini if you have any
questions, 704-432-3824.
Sgt Jeremiah Blow from the Metro Division has been selected as our new RAC
for Response Area 3 and will be present for the meeting. We invite you to attend,
meet Sgt. Blow, and introduce yourselves.
==================================
Saturday, Jan. 23
Hike for Habitat fundraiser
Mecklenburg County Park & Rec invites you to take a “Hike for Habitats,” at
Ribbonwalk Nature Preserve, 4601 Nevin Road in Derita. A guided hike through the
nature preserve starts at 11 am. The program runs 11am-1pm. The Preserve is
open until dusk.
"Hike for Habitats" is a way to show your support for “wildlife and wild places” in
Mecklenburg County. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted. Proceeds
go to Partners for Parks, a program for nature education programs, trail improvements
and equipment to remove invasive plants. Donation checks should be made out to
Partners for Parks and are tax deductible for most donors.
Ribbonwalk Nature Preserve is a 186-acre property that includes old-growth trees
and mountain-like terrain in the Derita community and is one of the largest natural
areas near uptown Charlotte. Three walking trails are open daily. Fishing is not
permitted in the lakes.
For more information, visit www.parkandrec.com and click on Nature Preserves, or
call Reedy Creek Nature Center at 704-598-8857 704-598-8857 ..
==================================
Begins January 25th!
Baseball/Slow-Pitch Softball Registration
at Northside Baptist Church begins January 25th! Open to boys and girls ages 4
– 12. Practices begin March 8 and registrations must be received by February 22.
Cost is $70 per child with a $15 late fee after February 22nd. You may register
online at www.northsidebaptistchurch.org or call the church at 704-602-2284.
==================================
Tuesday, January 26th
Woodstone HOA Winter Meeting
6:30 pm, Sugar Creek Library, 4045 North Tryon Street, Suite A
General Meeting and Election for the 2010 BOD officers will be held
==================================
Sunday, Jan. 31st
Activist Training
Participants in last April's Tea Party rallies may be interested in a special Activist
Training Seminar presented by the American Majority. The session hopes to
answer the question "What Next?" and will provide how-to steps for keeping the
Liberty movement going. 2-5:30 pm at the Holiday Inn Hotel, 805 W.Arrowood Rd.
Pre-registration is required. For details, contact Rebekah@AmericanMajority.org
===========================================
Thursday, February 4th
Derita Business Association Meets
9am, Maria's Grill, West Sugar Creek Rd. Open to Everyone, business or not.
New name. Same group. Open to all businesses in the greater Derita area, including
On-Call Service Providers and Home-Based Businesses.
Our goal is to help spread the word about your business, the services that you offer,
the greater values that the community will receive in shopping closer to home.
Each meeting always includes time for exchanging business cards and Networking,
a variety of self-promotion ideas and co-operative advertising ideas like this month's
Free Lunch at Maria's drawings.
How long is this going take? We'll be done in under 60 minutes, that's the rule.
Even if you have to duck out early, it will be worth your time.
"Our Goal is to Promote Local Businesses and Service Professionals Serving Our Area."
--- Bernie Samonds 704 806-3813 Leave Msg deritarep@aol.com
============================================
Sunday, Feb 7th
Souper Bowl Sunday
Cole Memorial United Methodist Church, 2022 West Sugar Creek Road
Cole Memorial UMC will be sponsoring a "Souper Bowl" luncheon to benefit the
Weaver Preschool, 11:30 am after 10:30 Church Services. The function will be
hosted in the gym and features homemade soup, hot dogs, desserts, and drinks.
Guests are welcomed to attend, along with church members. Donations for the
School will be much appreciated. Please join us for a delicious meal and great
fellowship!
=============================================
What your Neighbors are saying
CMPD Focus Neighborhood
During the month of November, the Neighborhoods of Thompson Glen, Derita Woods,
Cardinal Point and Carrie Hills experienced an increase in residential burglary,
larceny from auto and auto theft. In an effort to reduce crime, North Division officers
implemented an increased number of zone checks, field interviews, citizen contacts,
and traffic stops in those areas during December. The result was that violent or
serious property crimes fell 42% and were reduced by 57% for residential break-in's.
=============================================================
Re: Walgreens
Walgreens should open in February" is still the latest word we're getting. There have
been several set-backs during the construction that created some delays. Cold
weather may now become another factor, as the concrete median on West Sugar
Creek Rd must be built and some other street improvements still need to be made
before they get a "Certificate of Occupancy" and are permitted to open their doors
to the public. --- Bernie
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Welcome Walgreens, we can hardly wait! A Dozen Large Eggs have been $1.45 at
Food Lion since Thanksgiving, and you've had them 99 cents a dozen for the past
two weeks. May not beat FL on everything, but it will be nice to have a choice again.
--- Waiting to Shop Walgreens
=============================================================
Re: DSRCO Newsletter
"The Best $10 your money can buy!" --- Charles & Louise Sternburg
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Thanks for keeping us informed. Keep up the good work" --- Starke Ratcliffe
David Ratcliffe
Derita Floral Supply Co.
==========================================================
Re: Chicken King Restaurant (in the former Chilly Moose location)
"My husband and I have gotten food from the Chicken King a couple of times.
Although they still have the tables and booths, it's really a take-out place now,
rather than a sit-down restaurant.
(You've probably noticed that the Chilly Moose had been subdivided a while back,
with the other half becoming the D & L internet cafe.) You go in, place your order,
have a seat and wait until your order is ready.
"Many items are deep-fried and include fish (perch, croaker or flounder), shrimp,
pork chops and (of course), chicken (including tenders, gizzards, livers and wings.
There's sandwiches and burgers, as well as hoagies and gyros, as well as hot dogs
and barbecue, and a selection of salads. Except for the slaw, all sides are fried.
(They still have okra.)
"Prices are reasonable, and Freddie, who was the cook when it was the Moose,
is still there. You can get a bacon burger and fries for $3.92. It also still has the
same phone number.
"The woman at the counter when I was there is also Greek. My *guess* is that Sam
Tsilimos decided to retire and sold it to some friends. The last several months,
when John and I would go there to eat, there would be very few other people in the
restaurant, if any. (He loved their pork chops, though, and he's not real thrilled about
the deep-fried version.) With Maria's and Sugar's so close, and serving similar food,
maybe there just wasn't the market anymore, esp with the economy the way it is.
--- Mary K, Royal Oaks
--------------------------------------------------------------
"We have picked up lunch there several times. Thought the fried chicken was
pretty good." --- John Keziah, Keziah's Furniture
=============================================================
Rain Totals
December precipitation totals 5.16” at CRN-54 Turning Point Academy
and 5.25” at CRN-58 Mallard Creek Elementary --- Jack Brosch, Brosch Computer Svc
==============================================================
Poplar Springs Home Hit --- Second Time
Bernie,
After spending sleepless nights after home invasion on Thanksgiving, "these creatures"
came back in an attempt to take what they left behind the first time. Luckily enough the
back of the house was secure according to CMPD, who responded to call to investigate.
I was told that our neighborhood and homes across the creek are being rented by
whomever has the money to pay the rent (low income housing, Section 8 or drug lords).
Landlords don't screen tenants, homeowners are being over run with un-desirables
who commit crimes and are back on the street thanks to their greedy attorneys, who
are paid well to get them out of jail before the ink dries on the paperwork.
If these "creeps" put as much effort into finding and keeping a job as they spend
watching me and my going and coming, this would be a much better world.
Citizens should start paying close attention to the stats on these greedy attorneys
and the judges who allow these repeat offenders to walk the streets of North Carolina
and perhaps have them disbarred from practicing law in the US. Or join them in a
state run criminal institution of higher learning for 20-30 years.
--- Stephanie Walker, Poplar Springs
============================================================
Derita Memories
Just wanted to say that I really enjoy those short stories about Derita's history that
you and Fred Boovy have been writing. Have you ever thought about doing a book?
--- Mary D.
Mrs. Ona Puckett self-published her historical notes of Derita, but I don't
know that any more copies are still available for sale.
Edgar (Eddie) Conley is working on a coffee table/picture book about Growing
Up in Derita during his school boy days -- 1950 & 1960's. Not sure when it will
be ready, but will keep you posted.
As for the Memories that Fred Boovy, his sister Ann Gunson, and I have been
sharing here --- I have started posting them on-line as a Blog. Even though I'm
a few behind, you can read it (or download it) at:
http://deritahistoricalarchive.blogspot.com/
============================================================
Looking for a Guest Speaker?
County Manager Harry Jones is available for some speaking opportunities in February
and March. If your group or Club is looking for a speaker, really knowledgeable about
what services the County provides, the County Budget and County Departments.
Contact: Brian Gott, Resource Development Coordinator, (704) 621.1808
============================================
COUNCILMAN MICHAEL D. BARNES
Will Run For DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Charlotte City Councilman Michael D. Barnes has announced his
candidacy for District Attorney for Mecklenburg County.
Barnes, a Democrat currently serving his third term on the City Council, has more
than 10 years of experience as a practicing attorney. If elected, he wants to convene
a group of leaders from throughout the county to explore ways to address the
challenges facing the DA’s office. He also plans to use his existing relationships
with the Charlotte City Council, Mecklenburg County Commission, the Governor and
the North Carolina Legislature to highlight and address the need for resources in
Mecklenburg County.
“It is imperative that we elect a District Attorney with leadership experience, a
compelling vision and absolute objectivity,” shared Barnes. “If elected, I will continue
to work to prosecute criminals and also to ensure that resources are in place to allow
the DA’s office to effectively do its job. My existing relationships with Charlotte-
Mecklenburg Police Department and the local and state governing bodies, combined
with my work to improve public safety locally, will provide immediate benefits to our
community and the DA’s office.”
A native of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Barnes received his undergraduate degree
from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received his law degree from
North Carolina Central University. He and his wife Keisha have three children.
Contact: Michael D. Barnes
704.548.0093 barnesdistrict4@aol.com
============================================
Bargains Galore
Why wait until you can hold a Yard Sale? If you've got stuff filling up your garage,
something you're no longer using, furniture that doesn't go with the "new look" ??
You can list it for FREE in our weekly Bargains Galore email that goes out each
Wednesday night. . . In fact, you can list up to 6 items free every week. We've had
computers, printers, TV's, lawn & yard equipment, scooters, trucks, stereo & radio
equipment, wedding items, collectibles . . . the list goes on!
Some of it sells, some doesn't. But the list is constantly changing and the list of
folks requesting this FREE Email continues to grow. Write deritarep@aol.com to
receive a sample copy.
===================================
Win A Free Lunch at Maria's Grill
The Derita Business Association is giving away a
$10 Certificate every week in Feb. & March
So, beginning February 1st,
Just drop your business card (with email address) in the fish bowl at the Register
or Fill out an Entry Blank. We will notify the winner each week by email.
Lunches in February, Compliments of
Theresa McDonald. Realtor
Help Me Sell Derita. -- Charlotte's Best Kept Secret
theresa.mcdonald@allentate.com 704 235-9340
Keziah's Furniture Outlet
Quality Furniture & Closeouts at Discount Prices
2914 Gibbon Road 704 596-7427
www.keziahsfurniture.com
Sherrell M. Smith, Realtor/Broker/Investor
888-666-4ECO Toll-Free
888-666-4326 Fax
Sherrell.Smith@AllenTate.com
www.AllenTate.com/SherrellSmith
Derita Reporter Printing
Carbonless Forms, Letterheads, Business Cards, Envelopes
2600 Allen Road South 704 806-3813
deritarep@aol.com
===================================
Did You Know?
First Time Home Buyers
"Of the 30+ visitors to our model homes over the past two weeks, most have been
from the 28269 zipcode. Many just like this area and would be coming from
apartments."
============================================================
Theresa McDonald, Professional Real Estate Agent --- has posted a home main-
tenance list for the month of January, made easy!
http://www.weather.com/activities/homeandgarden/home/hometips/homemaintenance/tasks_jan.html
===========================================================
CMPD Response Area 3 Commander Sgt. Jim Wilson has been selected for
promotion to Captain on Jan. 22nd following the successes in crime reduction
achieved here in the Derita-Statesville Rd area of the past year & a half with his
team (Ofc. Mike Travis & Ofc. Amanda Giannini).
Sgt Jeremiah Blow from the Metro Division has been selected at our new RAC.
===========================================================
Tom Polys is the new president of Farmington HOA. Did any other neighborhoods
change leadership with the New Year? Let us know. deritarep@aol.com
==============================================================
Just in --- The NorthEast Coalition elected the following Officers for the coming year:
President - Claire Green-Fallon
1st Vice President- Dan Greineisen
2nd Vice President - Jack Brosch
Treasury - Mike Aufrecht
Secretary - Clair Lane
============================================
Northern Towns Push Ahead
Plans To Make Headway on the Commuter North Rail
Bernie: We haven’t met, but I’m working with Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson,
Mooresville and Charlotte to conduct an economic development assessment of the
land north of I-85 along I-77 and the future commuter rail line.
We’ve hired the Urban Land Institute of Washington DC to bring a panel of experts
here January 25-29 to hear from developers, elected officials, business and citizens
who have an interest in this geography.
My organization, the Lake Norman Transportation Commission, has raised the
money for the panel and is the official sponsor. We would like to have you involved
representing the DSRCO if you have the time. There are three opportunities for you.
First, a dinner at 7 pm on Monday, January 25 at the Peninsula Club in Cornelius.
This is the kickoff event and will explain in detail what we’re doing.
Next, a public meeting at 5 pm on Tuesday, January 26 at the Homewood Suites
in Davidson at Exit 30.
Finally, the final report session at 8:30 am Friday, January 29 at CPCC --
North Campus in Huntersville.
--- Carroll Gray, Exec Director
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
There you have it, folks. For everyone who keeps asking me what is the latest
that I have heard about the train?
Interested folks in the Northern towns have hired the former head of the Charlotte
Chamber of Commerce "to help them get this train on the tracks."
And yes, it's not just the Northern towns train - - -- 4 stations are planned within
the city limits of Charlotte. This is our train. too.
====================================
Spreading the Word
Community University On-line
Not everyone has the time to travel around town to participate in the workshops
offered by Neighborhood Services, so many of the most requested self-help topics
are now being offered on-line. Here are the links for Part 4 of 4 about Improving
Your Neighborhood Communication Skills:
• Developing a Plan for Communication article
• Promoting Internal Communication article
• http://ww2.wkkf.org/DesktopModules/WKF.00_DmaSupport/ViewDoc.aspx?fld=PDFFile&CID=0&ListID=28&ItemID=5000009&LanguageID=0"Strategic Communications Plan template
• Effective Communication booklet
Additional Helpful Links and Resources:
• Creating Newsletters article
• Increasing Newsletter Readership article
• Email Newsletters Do’s and Don’ts article
• Creating Posters and Flyers article
• Using E-mail Lists article
• Free online templates for brochures, flyers, newsletter & more
================================
Citizen Input Survey
Tell The City How To Best Spend Federal Funds
The City of Charlotte is looking for your input. The U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD) requires the City of Charlotte to submit a FY2011-
FY2015 Consolidated Plan. The Consolidated Plan is the document that the
City uses to outline its housing and community development programs. In addition,
the Plan lets HUD know how the City plans to spend the federal dollars it receives.
The City of Charlotte receives approximately $8.5 million annually from HUD for
the following federal programs:
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
HOME Investment Partnership (HOME)
Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG)
Housing Opportunities for Persons with HIV/AIDS (HOPWA)
The programs are used for a variety of activities that include economic development,
building and renovating homes, down payment assistance to help with the purchase
of homes and funding to operate emergency shelters.
Your responses to the survey will help the City develop program budgets and
priorities for the next five years. The survey offers opportunities for your feedback
in the areas of need related to affordable housing, community development, economic
development and/or public services.
Thank you for taking the time to complete the survey.
Sincerely,
Patrick T. Mumford, Director
Neighborhood and Business Services
Click here to take Survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ZY8F2CP ==================================
5 Saturdays, beginning Jan. 30th
From Wagon Roads to New South City
A free series of history classes covering four centuries of Charlotte area history,
will be offered to the public on five consecutive Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. to noon,
commencing January 30th.
Sponsored by the Mecklenburg Historical Association Docents, the series will be
based on historian Mary Kratt’s book Charlotte, North Carolina: A Brief History
and will feature lectures by distinguished members of the region’s academic and
history communities.
Participants are asked to register by January 25 and should leave their name and
contact information with either Alice Bostic (704-527-3251 or alice.bostic@cpcc.edu)
or Camille Smith (704-334-2201 or CSmith10@carolina.rr.com). This series has
proven very popular in the past and early registration is encouraged.
Topics of Study and Locations
January 30, 9:30 am-noon, Native Americans and Early Settlement presented by
Ann Evans, Curator at Wm. Elliot White Homestead, at the Charlotte Museum of
History.
February 6, 9:30 am-noon, Charlotte’s Beginnings presented by Leslie Kesler,
CMH Historian and Curator; Tom Phlegar, CMH Docent; and the Historical Cooking
Guild of the Catawba Valley at the Charlotte Museum of History.
February 13, 9:30 am-noon, 19th Century Charlotte presented by Dr James Hogue,
UNCC History Dept.; and Ann and Jim Williams, MHA Docents, at the
Levine Museum of the New South.
February 20, 9:30 am-noon, 20th Century Charlotte presented by Dr. Thomas
Hanchett, Historian, Levine Museum, at the Levine Museum of the New South.
February 27, 9:30 am-noon, Historical Interpretation and Tour of the Church
presented by the MHA Docents at Sugaw Creek Presbyterian Church.
--- submitted by Carol Dilda
====================================
As I Recall . . . memories of a growing up in Derita
Folks often ask me "How's Business in Derita?" "Great," I answer, "Last time
I had some." (rarely gets the same laugh it did 5 years ago.) But the truth is,
despite the current Recession, Derita has always been blessed with business
folks and businesses that survived. DSRCO VP Jack Brosch says there are
thousands of merchants, service providers & home-based businesses in our area
--- and most of them are still "hanging in there."
Derita has been a good place for business even from the early days in the 1760's.
People sold what they grew and traded for what they needed (or just learned
to do without). Fresh eggs, a home-cured country ham, yellow corn or a basket
of garden vegetables could usually be traded for goods at one of the family-
owned stores.
That's the way it was done back then. No one hopped in the car and ran out to
pick up a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk. Folks usually went once a week or
maybe if they really had to have something. Farms folks were pretty much tied
to their homesteads. Our early stores were akin to the watermelon & fruit stands
we used to see on our way to Myrtle Beach. They often started as a small shed
where the larger farms sold their excess and then expanded as people asked
for other items.
The folks that made it into Mrs. Puckett's book, were the ones who saw a future
in selling goods and focused on it. At Amos Rumple's store (present day site of
Derita Presbyterian Church) you could pick up your mail, buy seed for your field,
a cast iron pan for the kitchen, eggs if your hens weren't laying, or part of a bolt
of cloth for making your dress. There would be glass globes for the lantern, some
store-bought remedy medicine. What food hadn't been grown locally probably
came in by wagon (or later by train) --- which again made Derita a good location
for doing business.
Up the street, you might pick up feed for your livestock, tack for your mules or
horses, a salt lick for the pasture and a Farmer's Almanac to find out the best
days for planting. Depending on who had been trading what, that might be the
place to pick up nails for the barn or even a basket of sweet potatoes that
someone grew out in Mallard Creek. In later years, you could buy or even rent
farm equipment when needed.
A thirsty "downtown Charlotte" without a public works back then also meant
that Marty Gardner's folks were filling a lot of water bottles from Derita Mineral
Springs for daily deliveries that I'm guessing took the better part of the day to
make the round trip to Charlotte.
A few of the out-lying stores in our area during more modern times would have
included Mowry's Store at the Mallard Creek bridge, Bonds Store at the old
Prosperity Church Rd., Wallace's Store on Eastfield Rd., The Rock Store near
North High, Ferrell's Store & Wash Davis's General Store at Croft. They, too,
were serving the folks living on farms that surrounded them.
-----------------------------------------------
John Markham (Markham Landscaping Supply Center) told our Thursday
morning business group about visiting Davis' General Store in Croft when his
son was working on a local history project for school.
Silas Davis pulled out one of the old ledgers from a shelf and showed them
where local farmers had paid for seed and supplies with butter and fresh eggs.
You see, the General Store was more of a local grocery back then and people
bought everything from corn flakes to bath soap there. Today you can still buy
everything from boots & coveralls to tomato plants in the Spring.
"The back room was often filled with country hams hanging from the ceiling,
probably as many as 100 or more," Silas recently told a PBS TV film crew.
Hams grown by customers, no doubt.
His brother, who worked at the store back then, added,"Yes, and when times
were slow, we stayed busy rubbing the eyes off potatoes and straightening up
the merchandise."
It's also a place where problems get solved. I was telling Silas about an odd
printing job on a special parchment paper. The ink just would not dry. I stood
to loose about $100 by starting over with a special-order ink. Silas said, "you
got 90 cents? I can solve your problem." I left the store with a "brooder
lamp." --- You may have to google that. It's a heat-producing light bulb that
farmers us to hatch eggs and keep chicks warm. I was lucky, because he only
had 3 left in stock.
----------------------------------------------------------
The point I'm trying to make is that people here depended a lot more on each
other than we do nowadays. The major roads were dirt in the early days and
mostly gravel until the 1950's. I asked an older friend recently how often her
folks came to Derita from their place on the Plaza. "Lord knows," she answered,"
that was like going to another town back then. Sugar Creek was still one lane
and hadn't even been paved."
The house where I live was still woods when we moved here in 1952 and was
surrounded by wheat fields until the 1960's. Many of our neighbors raised pigs
and cows for beef and their dairy operations. My Dad, as I've mentioned before
even tried his hand at raising some pigs --- for country ham, fat back. streaked
meat, sausage and ham hocks to sell at our grocery store on Beatties Ford Rd.
Folks here grew lots of cotton and vegetables with the season and the train stops
here and at Croft (and Ferrell Town) during earlier years, the railroad meant that
growers could reach an even wider market.
Two of my own favorite spots were Hoke Hunter's pink store on Derita Rd.
(Graham St @ Cannon Ave now) where I spent my allowance on Atomic
Fireballs & Bazooka bubble gum with those goofy comics. (Dub Gibson ran
a store there for a while. The widening of Graham St took most of his parking,
so he moved to downtown Derita, and the old store morphed into The Derita
Store with gas pumps & a snack bar).
The other spot was Mowry's Store down by the creek on Mallard Creek Rd.
He had the best aged Hoop Cheese in all of Mecklenburg County (usually
several kinds to choose from) and he would sell it by the pound or by the slice.
I used to go out there sometimes on Sunday afternoon with my Dad. They
liked to sit in the store, drink one of those small CocaCola's in the bottle and
"talk shop" about the grocery business. . . Years later, my folks built a store,
their third, here in Allen Hills. The Cubbyhole Grocery. But I'll save that story
for later.
Now over to Fred who will tell you about his younger days working in the
Derita grocery business.
-------------------------------------------------
"I reckon the store that I remember the best in good-ole-Derita was Mullis Gen.
Merchandise. Edgar Mullis & his brother, Joe operated the store till they had a
falling-out and Joe opened a store on Statesville Rd.
Edgar continued to run the Derita store (where Stallings Refrigeration is now).
His brother Frank would help out in the store and he would also work on radios
& TV sets in a little shop set up in the back of the store. L. A. Bowen worked
there And Mr. Jim Brown was the butcher. I was probably 12 or 13 yrs. old
when I started there as the "Grunt". I did whatever the men didn't want to do.
If I worked all week my pay would be $5.00. (Good money back then). I was
like any teen-age boy. I had one whale of an appetite and the temptation was
great in a grocery store. I ate something all the time. Mr. Brown would make one
delicious spiced ham sandwich with mayo, lettuce & tomato. I would do the
eating and Edgar would keep track & put it on a tab. One week I had eaten
so much that when I got paid, I owed him.
We sold livestock feeds, chicken scratch, mash, flour & sugar that was all in
sacks. Lots of the sacks were in different prints & patterns. The farmers wives
would use these empty sacks as material to make dresses for the women & girls,
shirts for the boys & men. They also made underwear from these sacks. When
they purchased the feed, etc., they would pick out the sack they wanted.
Of course it would be on the bottom of the pile. These 100 lb sacks were not
easy to handle, and the ladies always made sure you were careful not to tear or
damage the sack they wanted.
All of the produce that was IN-Season, was, of course from the farms around
Derita, and I'm sure that Mr. Mullis & the farmers did a lot of "horse trading." I
do remember Bigger Bros. Co. bringing out a whole big stalk of bananas that
we hung up with a heavy rope. They were so good that I couldn't stay out of them.
Mr. Mullis told me not to eat them all, as he would like to sell at least a few.
We had several regular customers, mostly little old ladies, who walked to the
store and couldn't carry their groceries home. I was always glad to see them come,
because I would carry their groceries home & it was a chance to get out of the
store, away from the boss and not have to sweep the floor or dust the shelves.
And then too: The ladies would usually give me a nickel or dime tip. That dime
would buy a Pepsi Cola & candy bar or a (nab) as we called a pack of Lance
crackers. I was glad to see summer come to an end so I could get out of the store
and back in school. Yeah! You know it... -------- Fred
------------------------------------------
Fred,
Your email came in just as I was finishing my own lunch, two banana sandwiches
today. A lot of this sounds familiar to me, but most of the younger generation
who read this newsletter probably won't believe it.
Yes, I've slept on a feed bag pallet and covered up at night with a quilt made of
flour sack squares. Never wore clothes from such, but Mom impressed me often
with taking care of the clothes she bought. I wore them until they wore out or
until "they got too small for me to squeeze into them."
She used to tell the story about working at Kress Co.'s dime store downtown
as a counter clerk. She was single again, had a little girl (my sister) at the time.
She had saved nickels & dimes to where she was finally able to buy a new store-
bought dress. A pretty yellow one. She wore it to work one day and the store
manager came to her and told her he needed her to work in the stock room that
day. She told him, "No Way! I saved too long to for this dress than to get it dirty
or torn messing with those old boxes."
He wasn't having any back-talk, "You'll do as I say, or you'll be fired."
With that, she looked him straight in the eyes and said, "No, I won't. I Quit."
She turned, picked up her coat & purse and marched right out of store . . .
down West Trade Street . . . and into Delmonico's Restaurant, where she
started to work the same afternoon as a waitress.
Re: Taking the groceries home for folks. That was a standard practice during the
1950's in the black neighborhood where my folks had their second store on
Beatties Ford Rd. We had two dray-boys who made deliveries on bicycles ---
bags and boxes of groceries, sometimes a 5 gal can of kerosene on a bicycle with
a huge 2x3 ft.wire basket. On weekends, we had a part-time driver who used
Dad's pickup truck to keep them the orders from piling up. Folks came in to buy
their week's (sometimes 2-3 week's groceries -- using their Social Security checks)
at one time. Others might telephone their orders in, which I filled.
Eating on the job was big temptation, too. Cheerwine & Tru-Ade soda were my
two biggest vices. We had a huge water-filled cooler that stretched across the
front of the store. I also had a salt-craving for potato chips, but I suppose I did
the most damage in the meat department, where I'd cut a healthy slice of aged cheese
or boiled ham to sandwich between some saltine crackers. . . Always said that I had
counted & sacked so many Jack's 2 for a Penny cookies that I didn't care for the
taste of them. . . Then I liked to died one week when the cookie man left 3 boxes
of 3 for a Penny cookies. (They weren't much bigger than a vanilla wafers.) They
sold like hot cakes. I can still smell the coconut macaroons & coconut bars just
thinking about it. Dad ran the meat market & Mom handled the register & candy
counter. She would always have at least 5 types of cookies and a huge array of
candies from 2 for a penny up to 10 cents. ----- Bernie
--------------------------------------------
Fred, again:
"Oh Boy, Banana sandwich. Make mine with creamy peanut butter, please. Now
if I can't get that I'll take a couple of hot dogs from Kress lunch counter if I happen
to have 20 cents. Next best hot dog to Roy's Grill. Speaking of Kress, Are you
familiar with
motor scooter? He hung around the Kress store front and had the best peanuts around.
Another character that stayed around Kress was a middle-aged man that always
wore a black suit & he would give you an eye exam & fit you in new glasses right there
on the street. He had a little table & small suitcase that he set-up, usually at the back
door of Kress on E. Trade St. Quite a character.
I was the #2 boy in my family, so I didn't have to worry about flak from Mom about
new clothes. My clothes were hand-me-downs from big brother Bob. They were
'bout worn out when I got them anyway.
Bernie, talking about carrying out groceries, I had a pet goat that would pull a
li'l homemade wagon. I would earn lots of dimes & nickles with my wagon &
my goat "Stinky". ----- Fred
-------------------------------------------------------
Now Fred, you'll never convince me that a Kress Co. hot dog was anywhere
near as good as one with mustard, chili & onions at the original Tanner's stand
'n'eat just a few doors down Tryon St. And that followed by a greasy cello pack
of those hot, fresh roasted red skin peanuts all covered in coarse salt. I'd wash
it down with either fresh-squeezed orange juice or their famous Tanner's punch.
And as for the Kress Co.lunch counter, which lined one whole wall of the basement
floor. When Mom & I would go downtown, we would be among those persons
standing 2 - 3 deep, waitng on someone to vacate one of those spinning stools
(no booths here). Hot dogs are my all time favorite food, but I'd gladly pass it up
any time for the Kress's homemade vegetable soup and those buttered corn sticks.
But weren't we supposed to be talking about DERITA stores?
A Got A Favorite Derita Memory?
Sorry, folks we got a little off topic again this time, but neither of us claimed to be a
history professor. Fred & I have lots more stories to tell in future Newsletters and we
hope some of you will share a few of your Derita Memories here as well.
Anyone here shop at Russell's Market (later Jimmy's Supermarket) or J& J Grocery
on Hwy 115, or Joe Mullis' on Statesville Rd? How about the old Red & White store
in Derita? Let us hear from you. deritarep@aol.com
Let me close with this note from Hazel Hunter. She said, "As a little girl I would
always stop by the chicken coup and snatch an egg from the hen's nest when we
went to store, because the man behind the counter would always swap some candy
for it."
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What Sometimes Seems To Be . . .
A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery,
when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying, and
that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the
road was leading them.
After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road.
It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that
glowed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent
gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate
looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer,
he saw a man at a desk to one side. When he was close enough, he called out,
'Excuse me, where are we?''
This is Heaven, sir,' the man answered..
'Wow! Would you happen to have some water?' the man asked. 'Of course, sir.
Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up.' The man gestured,
and the gate began to open.
'Can my friend,' gesturing toward his dog, 'come in, too?' the traveler asked.
'I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets.'
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued
the way he had been going with his dog. After another long walk, and at the top
of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked
as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate,
he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.
'Excuse me!' he called to the man. 'Do you have any water?'
'Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in.' 'How about my friend here?'
the traveler gestured to the dog.
'There should be a bowl by the pump.' They went through the gate, and sure enough,
there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveler filled the
water bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog.
When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing
by the tree. 'What do you call this place?' the traveler asked.
'This is Heaven,' he answered. 'Well, that's confusing,' the traveler said. 'The man
down the road said that was Heaven, too.'
'Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's Hell.'
'Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?'
'No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their
best friends behind.'
Author unknown. --- submitted by Rich Haag
============================================
Your Questions and Some Answers
Q. What's happening next to Players Sporting Goods?
"Well, it's actually happening to the whole building," says David Butler, owner of
Players Sporting Goods --- "Outfitters to the Athlete"
"Workmen will be remodeling and upgrading the store fronts of our building here at
the corner of North Graham & West Sugar Creek, and the former Mexican Restaurant
next door. They'll creating a new, modern look, probably something similar to the
Food Lion across the street and giving us a more attractive and appealing appearance.
It should be something that will really step-up the appearance of this corner and
be a nice improvement
"Crews are working on the old restaurant first and doing extensive remodeling inside.
Plans call for it to be subdivided into two retail spaces. No tenants for those have been
announced, as yet. But I'm sure our landlord probably has some prospects," Butler said.
The property is owned by the Ratcliffe family, as is the vacant lot next door, the Food Lion
shopping center across the street, some vacant land there, and the Derita Floral Supply
Company on West Sugar Creek. Their former greenhouses had stood on the two corners
here since 1906 when "Derita Rd" (North Graham now) was still a dirt wagon road.
This is especially good news for Players, as indicated by this internet post that
we found:
Good variety? ---By Leslie Q.
Players can almost be missed if you're not carefully looking. This store is not flashy
but carries all of your sporting goods needs. I've stopped in for everything from
whistles to head bands. They offer uniforms for all sports, equipment, ....
=============================================================
Q. Are you aware that legalized Gambling may be going on in the
Derita-Statesville Road Community under the guise of Internet Cafe's?
Well, you are correct. But actually it is under the banner of 'SWEEPSTAKES." A
loophole in the state laws that banned video poker machines and made the N.C.
Education Lottery legal.
We turned first to CMPD, since this (if true) would be a law enforcement issue.
It turns out that the North Division had one location under investigation and we
named three others to check out. They turned the information over to Vice & the
Police Attorney two weeks ago. So far, we have heard nothing.
A DSRCO Operative (sounds much classier than saying "a guy we know") visited
one of the locations and checked it out. Proper paperwork was filled out in case
our guy became a "big winner" and he forked over $5 for 5 minutes time on the
computer to play video poker. . . That's $60 per hour, folks. And no, he did not
leave with a pocketful of money.
Yes, there were quite a few players in the room, all working away with their
rented computers. But no flashing lights, ringing bells or sirens sounding off
while our guy was there.
Later that same evening Rep. Nick Mackey attended our DSRCO Leaders Mtg.
He explained about the loophole and how the wording that opened the door for
the State Lottery also permitted On-Line Gaming, as long as the rules were
followed and the required paperwork is in place.
============================================================
Q. I've been hearing some weird howls outside, including tonight, and
something's been wandering around our house, too. I can hear the crunch,
crunch. crunch of the leaves and it has the gait/trot of a dog. I've heard this
crunching in daylight and at night, including in the wee hours of the morning.
One night it was obviously in our back yard here in the Royal Oaks Neighbor-
hood (off West Sugar Creek Rd).
Found these coyote calls online, and they sound very much like what I have
been hearing. I'm really afraid to let our cat out at all. (Fortunately when it
was so cold, she didn't WANT to go out, but sometimes I can't stop her
slipping out.)
http://www.soundboard.com/sb/wild_coyote_sounds.aspx
You may want to warn people about letting their cats and small dogs outside.
--- Mary Kane, Royal Oaks
Interesting and very possible.
We know that there have been photographed Coyote sightings in the Derita area;
Foxes & Raccoons in such abundance that even Animal Control says not to leave
food stuff out that might attract them to your door.
I listened to the sound track and have to admit it is similar to calls I have heard
probably 3 times in the early morning over the past two weeks. I didn't get up to
check, just dismissed them as maybe someone's Beagle or hunting dog that had
gotten loose and had maybe picked up the scent of one of the stray cats that wound up
here. So far, none have turned up missing.
The second set of calls sound a lot more familiar, almost like a squirrel barking. Used
to hear that more regularly before developers cleared the woods for the condo units
near Cardinal Glen. But I always figured the sound was way too loud to be the squirrels
barking outside my window during mating season. I often hear and see those clinging
to the brick & window screens as the male chases his mate all over the place in the
Spring.
I'll pass your note along to others, though it seems "my own" cats have already gotten
the word. They now seem to vanish at dusk and only show back up in daylight or at
feeding time. --- Bernie.
============================================================
Q. I know that City Council is supposed to vote on Petition #2009-068 (the
Penninger Circle Rezoning) this week. Is there a chance that they can drop
the Over 55 Age Restriction if the apartments go un-rented?
We got blind-sided by an "Administrative Change" on a Prosperity Rd seniors
development, where four buildings became one, and the change from the original site
plan was never taken before Council or the public. So, DSRCO VP Jack Brosch
took your question directly to the Planning Dept.
01/12/2010 "Both Tim Manies and Debra Campbell confirmed that to drop the
55+ restriction would require a separate petition and could NOT be done with an
administrative approval. This restriction would even survive bankruptcy of the
original developer."
==============================================
Today's Funny From our FREE Friday Funny Mail email.
Write deritarep@aol.com to join the email list
of about 450 families
DEER CAMP
Four guys have been going to the same deer camp for many years. Two days
before the group is to leave, Frank's wife puts her foot down and tells him he isn't
going. Frank's friends are very upset that he can't go, but what can they do?
Two days later the three get to the camping site only to find Frank sitting there
with a tent set up, firewood gathered, and dinner cooking on the fire.
"Dang man, how long you been here, and how did you talk your wife into letting
you go?"
"Well, I've been here since yesterday. Yesterday evening, I was sitting in my chair
and my wife came up behind me and put her hands over my eyes and she said,
'Guess who?'" I pulled her hands off, and she was wearing a brand new black
see-through nightie. She took my hand and pulled me to our bedroom.
The room had candles and rose petals all over. On the bed she had handcuffs,
and ropes! She told me to tie and cuff her to the bed, and I did.
And then she said, "Do what ever you want." So, Here I am.
--- submitted by Don Ager
=================================
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