Huntersville - United States

"You can't rank the project by itself. It has to be in comparison to all the others. The widen I77 folks do a great job and do great research, but what they are talking about is not a project. It's not been ranked and when you lop off the southern end of that project, it's going to change a whole lot on how that ranking is going to score. That puts you in a situation of increased uncertainty and the likelihood you will not be delivered a project until much later than you want. You're talking about a truncated project and you're trying to score a truncated project."
— Lake Norman Transportation Commission Executive Director Bill Thunberg on wideni77.org leader Kurt Naas' contention Monday night that by reducing the scope of the project to only expansion through the Lake Norman area, the project will score higher on the MUMPO
ranking system.

"I'm a doctor. In every doctor there is a fighter. This is easy to imagine when you picture a doctor in a white coat fighting against cancer. But in behavioral health, we also fight against the cultural forces that are truly enemies, true barriers to the excellent health care our patients with mental illness deserve."

— Dr. John Santopietro, Carolinas HealthCare System's chief clinical officer for behavioral health services. He was discussing the building of a new behavioral health facility in Davidson.

"When you boil it down, I decided to pick up my family and move halfway down the coast to the Carolinas for one reason. I came because there is a cultural moment here like no other in the country right now. There is something important happening here. .... There is a moment of great opportunity."

— Santopietro on why he left his position as medical officer at Community Health Resources in Windsor, Conn., to join CHS.

"Behavioral health, as a science, is about the head. But this fight, in this moment, is all about the heart."

— Santopietro.

"Davidson can be a little quirky but it is that quirkiness that makes this town unique. Instead of a bouncy house, you'll find a house made out of recycled materials that the local school children made. At the cake walk, you'll find home-grown, organic, vegan, gluten-free baked goods."

— Davidson community and economic development manager Kim Fleming, on the town's personality that is reflected in its annual Town Day celebration.

"We have a community that is willing to do things differently. We have citizens who are passionate about finding improved ways to do things.  I think Town Day is an example of how that thinking permeates the lives of Davidson's citizens."

— Fleming on Town Day.

"He's taken it to an incredible level. He's a great statement to continuing to work to become the best you can become. He's elevated his game to another level since he left Davidson, and he's done it year by year."

— Davidson College basketball coach Bob McKillop on former Wildcat Stephen Curry's third pro basketball season and first playoff appearance with the Golden State Warriors.

"It's like a yo-yo. He has such a great feel with the ball."

— McKillop on Curry's uncanny ball control while dribbling.

"As soon as they determined she needed a transplant, I put myself down as a candidate. I figured if she needed a kidney, it just made sense for me to be the first in line to see if I was a suitable donor."

— Lake Norman Charter faculty member Brandon Bates about his decision to volunteer as a donor when he learned his wife needed a kidney transplant.

"I like to believe that, for whatever reason, whoever was taking care of him just couldn't do it anymore and they wanted to leave him with someone who could."

— Dr. Lori Hoe of Main Street Veterinary Hospital in Cornelius talking about Sam, an abandoned and injured Jack Russell Terrier in need of medical care.

"When you factor 'mental health' into the equation, it adds another dynamic, another layer of complexity, an unfortunate element of fear in the minds of some people, and a risk of controversy that can be disheartening."
— Carolinas HealthCare System CEO Michael Tarwater on the lingering stigma tied to behavioral health.

"Regrettably, we have not yet achieved universal consensus on how best to work together as a community to address the mushrooming need for behavioral health services."
— Tarwater.

"One of the things I like about the way Elevation Church approaches their building is that they're not 'churchy.' There is no stained glass and no crosses, so it works well for secular uses. ... I really see this as a second life for Kenton Place."
— Developer Gary Cangelosi, who has developed some of Kenton Place, where Elevation Church has has received approval from the Cornelius Town Board on a request for a conditional zoning amendment that allows it to convert the former Palace Theater into a satellite church location.

"I don't think we can consider the exempt nature of (property tax) when considering land uses."
— Cornelius Town Attorney Bill Brown on Commissioner Jeff Haire's concern that permitting the Palace Theater to become church property would remove it, at least partially, from the town's tax rolls.

"It was a worthless meeting, actually."
— Cornelius Town Manager Anthony Roberts on a recent session with representatives from the Mecklenburg County Tax Assessor's Office in an effort to better quantify the negative impact the adjustments on property values within the town will have on the current budget cycle.

"From what I understand, Pearson's and the county staff aren't getting along too good. They don't believe in each others' numbers."
— Roberts on the current relationship between the remnants of the Mecklenburg County Tax Assessor's staff and Pearsons Appraisal Services, which was hired by the county to evaluate the 2011 revaluation, which could result in a 6.9 percent reduction in the overall property value in Cornelius.

"Probably junk mail from the election season."
— Davidson Commissioner Rodney Graham speculating on an unexplained spike in the town's garbage collection in 2012.

"Farmers work every day, artisans work every day, and unfortunately right now some of the items they provide are only available to area residents one day a week."
— David Meeks of Flying Fish Seafood & Company and founder of Eden Street Market in Davidson, referring to the fact that some of the vendors now part of the Eden Street venture previously relied on weekly community markets — like the Saturday morning Davidson Farmer's Market nearby — for the chance to sell their products.

"I looked at you young men, and I said, 'Thank God we are not lost.' It's your job to to be leaders. You're going to take our place. Make us proud."

— Mecklenburg County Commissioner Vilma Leake, addressing the newest members of the Gentleman's Club at Hopewell High School.

"The Gentlemen's Club to me is simply our way out. It's more than just a club, it's a brother/fatherhood of a group of gentlemen who wish to make a difference not only in their own lives but also in the lives of those who are beside them and those who shall follow our lead. I took a pledge and it feels good to be making a difference and to also help my fellow brothers realize the same."

— Hopewell High School senior and Gentleman's Club member Elsadig Muhamed, writing to the Citizen about his experiences as a member of the group and his ambitions for the future.

"CMPD is a part-time lake enforcement unit and does not have resources around the lake if their lake unit is not available. Once they go home, there is no lake patrol. Our argument was that even if we did not fund a full-time unit, we could still provide a reasonable call-back response because we have officers working the shoreline all the time and could respond to all emergencies must faster."

— Cornelius Police Chief Bence Hoyle on his ambition for local authority in coves and near the shoreline on Lake Norman.

"B-O-A-T. Bring Out Another Thousand. I've been a boat owner all my life, I just never learned. It's that hole in the water that you keep pouring money into."

— Perry Weir, owner of Freedom Boat Club, on the virtues of boat club membership versus boat ownership. The organization will begin operating on Lake Norman this boating season.

"So, to the people who make North Meck Soccer Club run and tick. We have recently joined the Colorado Rapids. We are now officially part of the Rapids Adidas Alliance."

— North Meck Soccer Club Executive Director Thomas Finlay during Monday night's private announcement to key club members regarding the new alliance with the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.

"The badge has changed, but those four pillars behind it haven't changed a bit, and they fall exactly in line with what we want and strive to be and who we are as a club, so we're excited to be a part of this."

— Brian Crookham, senior director of youth development for the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.

"It's amazing to be here, but part of what's amazing is I know more people's names than Thomas does. I'll introduce you to a couple of people later on. Key players in the room."

— Crookham, taking some good-natured jabs at North Meck Soccer Club Executive Director Thomas Finlay after he missed recognizing some key club members during Monday night's private announcement of the new alliance.

"I looked at you young men, and I said, 'Thank God we are not lost.' It's your job to to be leaders. You're going to take our place. Make us proud."

— Mecklenburg County Commissioner Vilma Leake, addressing the newest members of the Gentleman's Club at Hopewell High School.

"It's a friendly atmosphere and wonderful location. If you want to be in a place where there isn't any argument, where people are friendly, this is it. It's a great environment to just sit, have a hot dog and enjoy the surroundings. I think that's one of the big reasons the local event has become so popular."

— Huntersville Commissioner and Historic Rural Hill Board of Directors member Sarah McAulay on the Scottish Festival and Loch Norman Highland Games set for next weekend in Huntersville.

"It is a very special event for people who embrace their Scottish heritage, but it's not just those folks who attend. People have discovered it's just a fun, friendly event."

— McAulay on the festival and games.

"There is no such thing as inclement weather, only inappropriate clothing, that's a Scottish proverb."

— Rural Hill Board of Directors Chairman Bob McIntosh on the sometimes iffy spring weather that can accompany the games. McIntosh will likely be found in a kilt most of the weekend.

"The event brings people together and provides a clear view that whatever the issue — whether we're from a blue state or a red state, or whether we are for or against toll lanes — the things that connect us are much greater than the things that separate us."

— Bob McIntosh.

"The fact that we are able to deal with this and live to tell about it speaks to how well we are managed fiscally."

— Cornelius Mayor Lynette Rinker on the town's ability to absorb nearly $800,000 per year in projected lost revenue and $1.6 million in property tax refunds for overpayments in the past two years as a result of anticipated corrections to the 2011 Mecklenburg County property revaluation.

"Obviously we were the hardest hit."

— Cornelius Town Manager Anthony Roberts on the percentage of lost property value assessment compared to other jurisdictions in Mecklenburg County (a 6.9 percent decrease in overall taxable value).

"The thing I worry about is how is this going to affect the county budget because we know how it's going to affect our town. ... I really worry about what's going to happen to us as a town based on what the county will do."

— Cornelius Commissioner Chuck Travis on what he fears will be a trickle-down effect as Mecklenburg County adjusts its spending based on lost anticipated revenues as a result of the revaluation adjustments.

"You'll see me in boots walking through a field trying to discover a gem that's out there."

— Ryan McDaniels, the new executive director of the Lake Norman Regional Economic Development Corp., on where to find him once he begins work on April 15.

"The stuff that is hard to do and is less glamorous is product development. That's the key. That's why we hired (McDaniels), because that's where we need to go. I'm glad he likes to wear boots on occasion."

— LNREDC board chairman Mike Griffin on his new hire.

"When you look at the behavioral health continuum, you quickly understand that it can be an unmet need that affects us as individuals and communities. Sometimes it can become a cause (for a community), and that's a wonderful thing to experience."

— Dr. Roger Ray, medical director of Carolinas HealthCare System, on the stigmas, and sometimes the lack thereof, attached to the issue of behavioral health.

"Compared to Boiling Springs where there's one stoplight, Huntersville is pretty big."

— Officer Stephanie Benshoof of the Huntersville Police Department, a North Meck High School grad, on her reaction when asked why she would return to a small town like Huntersville after graduating from Gardner-Webb University, which is located in Boiling Springs.

"I loved growing up here. I didn't want to live or work anywhere else."

— Stephanie Benshoof on her affinity for her home town.

"... where all you can smell is chicken poop."

— Ben Benshoof drawing his own contrasts between Huntersville and the Town of Wingate, where he attended Wingate University on a football scholarship.

"We always wanted to be close to our parents, even after college. Family has always been number one for us."

— Ben Benshoof who, like his sister, returned to his home town to start a career in public service. He works for the Huntersville Park and Recreation Department.

"One of the relationships we have found very productive is that with the Chamber. They are consistently trying to find ways to help their members and the business community, and since we obviously offer a free service, it is a win-win for everybody."

— Davidson resident Gil Lorenz, a SCORE volunteer counselor, on the relationships the nonprofit group has developed to spread the word about its services for small business owners and entrepreneurs.

"We get the whole spectrum — people planning ahead that come to us early and people who have realized that they're about to hit the wall and are looking for some emergency help."

— Mike O'Hara, another SCORE volunteer counselor.

"Our mission is not to judge people or tell them what they should do. It's to ask questions and point them to resources so they can figure out what they should do, or if it's even doable."

— O'Hara, on a SCORE counselor's role and relationship with a client.

"The first thing I say is, 'Don't quit your job yet. Let's keep talking.'"

— John Kurti, on one of his techniques as a SCORE counselor.

"I think it's kinda a wake-up call. We're good, but there are other teams out there. It's a chance for us to work hard in practice and bring us together more."

— Hough High School soccer player and senior Brandi Arey on the team's first loss after 32 straight games, dating back to last year's state championship season.

"It's been a weight on their shoulders."

— Hough High School soccer coach David Smith on the pressure of maintaining the winning streak.

"I wish you could see me sitting in a room in Philadelphia on Dec. 22, close to midnight, with our four seniors, our four captains. We had just got pummeled by Drexel University, our record was (6-5). You want to talk about bah-humbug going home for Christmas. It was bah-humbug for me. Those four seniors determined at that point that this wasn't going to happen to us this year. We are going forward. On that Dec. 22 evening, they made a vow, and they lived up to it."
— Davidson College basketball coach Bob McKillop on his team's defining moment of the 2012-13 basketball season after an embarrassing loss to Drexel.

"Let's get better, let's have fun, let's play to win, and let's try to make every play count."

— Davidson coach Bob McKillop on his team's approach as it enters the NCAA Tournament Thursday against Marquette.