Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) in Marvin, NC

The fire happened around 7 p.m. at a home near the Firethorne Country Club in Marvin.

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — An issue with a surge protector is believed to be the cause of a fire that destroyed a Union County home on Christmas night, officials said.

Multiple crews responded to a fire on Pacer Lane in Marvin, near the Firethorne Country Club, a little before 7 p.m. Monday. Video sent to WCNC Charlotte showed flames and smoke coming from the house while firefighters worked to get the fire under control.

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The owners were not home at the time. Firefighters told WCNC Charlotte they believe a spark from a surge protector started the fire. It remains under investigation. No one was hurt during the incident.

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CUMBERLAND COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- Cumberland County Schools Superintendent, Dr. Marvin Connelly, Jr. was honored Tuesday night as the A. Craig Phillips 2024 North Carolina Superintendent of the Year.

Representing the Sandhills region, Dr. Connelly was selected from a group of eight esteemed regional nominees. The win spotlights his transformative leadership, particularly in spearheading the 'Cumberland Commitment: Strategic Plan,' which has brought remarkable progress and innovation to CCS, the fifth-largest school district in North Carolina, the district said in a news release.

"I am deeply honored and humbled by this recognition, which is a testament to the unwavering dedication of the entire Cumberland County Schools family," he said. "This award reflects our collective commitment to the success of every student. I am immensely proud of our achievements and look forward to continuing our journey toward educational excellence for all."

According to a news release, the school district has achieved a series of state and national recognitions, including the 2021 and 2022 National Magna Awards for equity efforts, the North Carolina State Superintendent's Purple Star District Award for three consecutive years for military-friendly practices, under Dr. Connelly's leadership.

Dr. Connelly, who is a former officer in the US Army, has served more than 30 years in public education which includes being a middle school and high school principal and a high school assistant principal.

"In Cumberland County Schools, we've embarked on a transformative journey, driven by the firm conviction that every child deserves a world-class education, regardless of their background or zip code," Dr. Connelly remarked. "Confronting deep-rooted inequities, we have transformed numerous schools from low-performing to thriving learning environments. The 'Cumberland Commitment: Strategic Plan' has been our guiding light, focusing on producing successful students, recruiting and retaining premier professionals, providing an exceptional learning environment, and collaborating with committed community partners."

The ceremony was held at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro.

The prestigious award, presented by the North Carolina Association of School Administrators (NCASA), in collaboration with the North Carolina School Superintendents' Association (NCSSA) and the North Carolina School Boards Association (NCSBA), and sponsored by Scholastic Education, recognizes exceptional leadership in K-12 public schools.

MARVIN – N.C. Department of Transportation contract crews will close New Town Road at Marvin Road next week, weather permitting.

The intersection is scheduled to close Monday, July 17, so crews can install a sewer line under the road. The closure will be in place until Monday, July 24.

A signed detour will be in place for drivers along New Town Road, U.S. 521, Ardrey Kell Road, Marvin Road, Joe Kerr Road and Marvin School Road.

These activities are happening ahead of a separate closure to build a roundabout at the intersection, to be scheduled at a later date.

MONROE – A Few Good Men Inc. has selected former president Robert L. Heath as Citizen of The Year for 2023.

Over the past two years, Heath has chaired committees that led the installation of the Robert Williams Highway Marker on the corner of Boyte Street and U.S. 74 and the N.C. Civil Rights Trail Marker at the Monroe Country Club old pool site.

As president of the Winchester Alumni Association in 2015, he developed the fundraising campaign to install a buffalo statue in front of the old Winchester High School. The Winchester Alumni Association raised over $20,000 to fund the project.

The Monroe native graduated in 1962 from Winchester Avenue High School. He worked at several jobs in Newburgh, New York before attending college. Most of the time, he worked at West Point Military Academy.

He received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a minor in history in 1967 from Winston-Salem State University and a master’s degree in administration supervision in 1979 from Nova University, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Heath retired from the Miami-Dade Public School System in 1999 and returned to Union County. After taking a year off, he worked part-time for five years at the Department of Social Service Food Stamp Division.

Heath has received awards and accomplishments over his education career and public service: Teacher of the Year, Principal of the Year, United Way Paul Bell Award, IBM Excellence Award and Concern African American Women Award. He earned NAACP Humanitarian of the Year in 2019.

He has served as a member of Langford Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, serving as a trustee and co-founding the Langford Chapel CME Church Learning Center in 2001. He has also served as a member of the Union County NAACP.

He has also served on boards for Turning Point, Union County Head Start and the Union County Public School Foundation.

Heath has been married to Lillie C. Heath for 53 years. They have one son, Derrick Ingram Heath (Latanya F. Heath), and three grandchildren, Angel Monique Heath (deceased} Lauren Alexis Heath and Derrick Ingram Heath ll.

Long history of winners

Former recipients of Citizen of The Year are as follows: Frank McGee (2022), Joan Laverne White (2019), Nathan Hailey (2018), Hattie Gail Coffee (2017), Ernest Collins (2016), Rev.Waymon S. Jordan (2015), Diane Burns (2014), Minnie Crowder (2012), Rev. Larry Leak (2014), Frank Dreese (2013), Johnny Sowell (2012), James Mungo (2011), Jeanette Sherrod (2010), Louisiana Robinson (2009), Ralph Bolden (2007), Herman Cunningham (2008), Rosa Bell (2005), Oscar White (2006), Annie Jordan Allen (2004) and J.W. McDow (2003). Awards weren’t given in 2021 and 2020 due to COVID.

Want to celebrate?

A Few Good Men Inc. will hold its Citizen of the Year Banquet at 7 p.m. March 30 at The Old Armory Community Center. Tickets cost $35 or reserve table of six for $225. On the web: afewgoodmennc.org.

Even when Lake Norman went down by three touchdowns to Marvin Ridge, Wildcats head coach Jonathan Oliphant wasn’t thinking the game was out of reach.

Neither were Lake Norman’s players, who rallied in the second half to defeat the previously unbeaten Mavericks — No. 16 in The Observer’s Sweet 16 — 23-21 Friday night.

Mozes Morris ran for a game- and season-best 126 rushing yards and quarterback Haines Robitzer threw for 149 yards and one score for Lake Norman, which is now off to its second 4-0 start in a row.

However, Friday’s win was the Wildcats’ biggest turnaround this season after Marvin Ridge bolted out to a 21-0 halftime lead behind three passing TDs from Mavericks quarterback Evan Medders.

“I tell these guys all the time, ‘You can see a lot of things on Hudl, but you can’t see heart,’ ” Oliphant said. “We found it at camp this summer. These guys love each other, and that’s something you can’t see on film. If we continue to work and love each other, we’ll play for a while.”

Medders had put Marvin Ridge (3-1) ahead with scoring passes of 24 yards to Cole Searight in the first quarter, and TD passes of 15 yards to Jake Schumacher and 20 yards to Mark Arthur in the second. Dawson Jones also went 3 for 3 on extra-point kicks.

But Lake Norman began its second-half turnaround on the opening play, recovering a Mavericks’ fumble. That set up a short drive that led to a 1-yard TD run by Trae Sechrest with 8 minutes, 40 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Wildcats’ defense then came through with a safety early in the fourth quarter to cut Marvin Ridge’s margin to 21-9. A fake punt then set up another Lake Norman score, a 35-yard TD pass from Robitzer to Antonio Griffiin with 3:35 left.

Now down 21-16, the Wildcats took advantage of a short Marvin Ridge punt to set up their game-winning drive, a 9-yard keeper by Robitzer with 1:32 left, followed by Michael Buck’s third extra point kick of the night, to put Lake Norman ahead 23-21.

The Mavericks had one last chance, driving to the Wildcats’ 14-yard line with seven seconds remaining to set up Jones’ 31-yard field-goal attempt. But Jones’ kick went wide right, setting off a celebration by Lake Norman’s players after running out the clock.

“They kept playing, and we got complacent,” Marvin Ridge head coach Aubrey Carter said. “Give them all the credit in the world — they had opportunities, and they made plays. They could’ve easily shut down at halftime, but they didn’t.

“We need to learn from what we did. We did some stuff well early, and we need to learn from what we didn’t do well in the second half to get better. But I know this team is going to rally around each other.”

Mozes Morris, Lake Norman: The 5-foot-10 sophomore back had his biggest game of the season at the right time for the Wildcats. Of his 14 carries, six went for 10 or more yards, including a 33-yard dash in the first half. He also had a key 21-yard pass completion to Tate Smith on the fake punt that set up Lake Norman’s second touchdown.

Haines Robitzar, Lake Norman: Another sophomore starter for the Wildcats, he completed 16 of 21 passes — with no interceptions, a key for Lake Norman — and the touchdown to Griffith.

Evan Medders, Marvin Ridge: The senior quarterback more than doubled his passing touchdowns this season, entering Friday’s game with only two. He went 15 of 25 with the three TDs.

▪ Carter, who is in his ninth season as Marvin Ridge’s head coach, spent 12 years as an assistant coach at Lake Norman before taking the Mavericks’ job in 2015. He was the Wildcats’ offensive coordinator from 2012-2014, and the defensive coordinator from 2010-2011.

▪ A surprising, and somewhat embarrassing moment occurred late in the fourth quarter when the sprinkler system on Lake Norman’s field suddenly turned on. However, it took just a minute to shut things down.

Marvin Ridge closes out its nonconference schedule with a rare Thursday night game against Myers Park in Charlotte. Meanwhile, Lake Norman has an off week before opening Greater Metro 4A conference play against A.L. Brown in Kannapolis on Sept. 22.

MARVIN RIDGE 7 14 0 0 — 21

LAKE NORMAN 0 0 7 16 — 23

MR — Cole Searight 24 pass from Evan Medders (Dawson Jones kick).

MR — Jake Schumacher 15 pass from Medders (Jones kick).

MR — Mark Arthur 20 pass from Medders (Jones kick).

LN — Trae Sechrest 1 run (Michael Buck kick).

LN — Safety, MR Luke Wakefield tackled in end zone.

LN — Antonio Griffin 35 pass from Haines Robitzer (Buck kick).

LN — Robitzer 9 run (Buck kick).

This story was originally published September 8, 2023, 11:05 PM.

No matter the season in Charlotte, we’re at the park or on the greenways. Freedom Park, of course. Or Romare Bearden. Reedy Creek. McMullen or McAlpine. Whitewater Center.

Yes, yes, we know about those places already, you’re probably thinking. If you’ve been in Charlotte for more than five minutes, you have been to these outdoor spots — and for good reason, they are staples here.

But what about lesser-known outdoor spots around the Queen City, its hidden gems? We’ve got a few of those, too! Here are three of our favorite parks and greenways that are off the beaten path:

Location: 4200 Redwood Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205

Howie Acres Neighborhood Park has three entrances, subtly tucked away on neighborhood streets. The biggest surprise, however, is when you get there by taking a walk through NoDa. Turn left at the Fitness Factory, walk past Sugar Creek station and under the bridge.

You’ll think you’re past the residential parts of your walk — and then you’ll find Bearwood Avenue a sweet surprise. The street, part of the historic Black neighborhood Howie Acres, is lined with cozy houses — including residents sitting on front porches waving hello as you walk by. At the end of the street is the park. Mosey through it — it’s not big, with winding sidewalks and playground equipment — and come out of it on Howie Circle.

Take the loop either way to stop at Eastway Drive — you’ll spy Roses and Bojangles across the street, and you might wonder how you got there so quickly from NoDa.

Magic, that’s how.

Location: Poplar and 9th Street, Charlotte NC 28202

Blink and you’ll miss the Secret Fountain in Fourth Ward — but it’s got a park sign and even has posted hours. It’ll take just a few steps to get from one side to the other. I’ve heard it called the smallest park in Charlotte — and I’d be shocked if that weren’t true.

The park even has a small fountain in the middle.

Enter at North Poplar Street, and then once you’re out the other side, you’ll be facing Alexander Michael’s — the perfect spot to sit down with a brew and some comfort food after all that walking through the park you just did!

Location: Park at 17820 Marvin Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277; greenway begins just across Patterson Road.

Here’s the real secret: Despite its name stating otherwise, Six Mile Creek Greenway is less than one mile long (.92 miles).

Because it’s so short, if you go at the right time you might get the whole trail to yourself. When I was training for my first marathon, I used to ride my bike to the trail and then run up and down as many times as it took to get my miles in. It’s beginner friendly — both flat and paved (with wooden bridges). It can get a little muddy if it’s been raining a lot, so keep that in mind.

And the one time I saw a copperhead out there, I realized how truly isolating it is without other people around — so make sure to bring a buddy. (For the record, the copperhead didn’t even blink as I sprinted past it to my bike at top speed that day!)

This story was originally published April 13, 2023, 5:00 AM.