E-Newsletter 1071 | April 2024

"The future of life on Earth depends on our ability to see the sacred where others see only the common.”-John Denver

Earth Day is April 22

Next Town Council Meeting

Monday April 1st, 2024 6:00 P.M.

Meetings will be held at 6pm at Valdese Town Hall Council Chambers (unless otherwise noted)

102 Massel Avenue South West Valdese NC 28690. All meetings are open to the public.

**December council meeting will be live streamed on the Town of Valdese YouTube.

New Window Gallery, APRIL 05-30 2024

Thanks Again For Your Help To Support Local Arts!

Your Pal David Mench Curator NWG 2024 

24 Hours Display! APRIL 05-30 2024

New Window Gallery Presents Paintings By Artist PAT RHEA

FROM THE ARTIST PAT RHEA:

I am a hobbyists artist and was "born with a passion to paint!"

My credentials: Architectural Design, Telephony and Communications Engineering, 

Supervision, Electrical and Furniture Drafting and Designs, Economics, Photography, 

Landscape and Decorative Arts, and studied Advertising and Design with a former 

Saturday Evening Post creator that worked directly with Norman Rockwell. 

I studied at CVCC, CCC&TI, ASU, NC STATE, AND USITA-MSU.

I am honored to be asked by Store Owner, David Mench of PLAY IT AGAIN RECORDS STORE 

to display some of my favorite art creations in the storefront "NEW WINDOW GALLERY ART WINDOW". 

The store is located in Valdese, off I-40 Exit 111, then West on Main Street near Myra's..

You will also find both David and myself just down the street on weekends at 

JIM'S INDOOR FLEA-MARKET , Friday, Saturday and Sunday 9-5pm, far left corner booths. While Mark will be taking care of business back at the store. You will find in David's booth that he has a wide selection of great music, new and vintage collections, along with some discounted music. I have my art pieces on display there as well as occasionally conducting an art class. 

Commissions for artwork is accepted in any subject matter of art that you want. 

A photo of the subject and 25 percent down nonrefundable will be required at the time of your request.

JIM'S INDOOR FLEA-MARKET has a huge inventory of items for sale, from in-house 

craftsman items, such as handcrafted wood carved pieces by the vendor, handmade jewelry from genuine stones 

by the Gemologest vendor, crafters, The Toy Man, and appliances, such as washers and dryers, and refrigerators,  

building supply surplus, and general store candies and snacks. Much more to see.

Currently we are offering a monthly drawing for a giveaway by 

and at each vendor's booth that you may want to sign up for while there.

I am offering an art piece that is created and hand painted by me,  

a $30 value. I also some new and repurposed home décor, along with a few antique pieces. So come on in and enjoy the comfort of indoor shopping with us.

New Window Gallery is located at 150 W Main St. Valdese NC.

The gallery is part of the Play It Again Records Building.

The two large gallery windows are lit 24 hrs. a day and can

be seen from the curb!

The gallery is also looking for more interesting artists

to participate in future events!

Please call 828 874-1800 and ask for (Mark or David)

NWG New Window Gallery (Play It Again Records Building)

150 West Main St. Valdese, NC 28690

828 874-1800

RECORD STORE HOURS: 11-5 Tues- Sat (Gallery is 24 hr. 7 days a week)

Next Planning Board Meeting

Monday April 15th 2024 4:00 P.M.

The Planning Board reviews amendments to the Zoning Ordinance, preliminary and final subdivision plats, rezoning applications and considers other development issues that affect the town. Planning Board members also serve as the town’s Board of Adjustment for any variance cases that may arise. The Planning Board meets on the 3rd Monday of each month at 4pm in the office of the Planning Director located at Town Hall - 102 Massel Ave SW.

For more information, please contact Planning Director, Larry Johnson at 828-879-2124 or via email at ljohnson@valdesenc.gov

April 25, 26 & 27 and May 2, 3 & 4

7:30 PM

at the beautiful Fred B Cranford Amphitheatre

Browse over 75 handmade crafting vendors:

candles, apparel, baskets, jewelry, toys, bath and body products,

woodworking, pottery, and so much more!

Find the perfect gift for mom as this event is only

weeks away from Mother's Day! #ShopLocal

2024 FFN Summer Concert Series Lineup Announced!

See You This Summer!

"From This Day Forward" Auditions- Join us for the 56th Annual Outdoor Drama Presented by Old Colony Players!

May 19-20th at the Fred B. Cranford Amphitheatre.

Stay tuned for audition details!

A Message from the Valdese Recreation Department

Spring is here at the Valdese Parks and Recreation Department! Ballfields are getting ready for bats, balls, cleats, and gloves, the smell of popcorn and hotdogs, and roar of a crowd cheering on our Valdese softball, baseball, and t-ball players. Practices are getting underway, and we are excited to have opening night festivities on Thursday, April 18 at Fletcher Field. A time will be announced on social media, and we are excited to have a great season with great sponsors again. If you wish to sponsor a banner at the ballparks, please reach out to the Parks and Recreation Office.

The pool will be opening again in April, and the water will be warm as the air heats up. Please check the recreation website to see the schedule for the pool. Be on the lookout for registration for our summer league Valdese Torpedo Swim Team this month. We have meets scheduled for June and July, with the championship on August 3 in Shelby. This a great chance for young swimmers to be introduced to the sport! If your little swimmer isn’t ready for swim team but loves the water, consider our swim lessons this summer. Registration for lessons goes live on May 1 at valdese.recdesk.com with lessons in June and July. Remember, aquatics members receive 50% off of their swim lesson fee.

Don’t forget to save the date for one of our great Valdese traditions: Fun Fish! Fun Fish 2024 will be held at McGalliard Falls Park at 9am on May 11 with May 18 as a rain date. We are excited to have our partnership with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, Pepsi, and American Legion Post 234 and Auxiliaries again this year as we host this amazing, long-running event for our kids. Children 4-12 can come fish the creek and compete for door prizes and even a possible Lifetime Hunting and Fishing License. Registration is free, and we will be frying fish again with a recommended donation for $5 per plate. Donations offset future event costs.

Our parks are going to be the site of many picnics and gatherings this spring. If you are interested in reserving a picnic shelter at a park, please reach out to the office at 879-2132. Any of our full time staff can assist you with reserving a space. We are excited about continuing to add amenities at Valdese Lakeside Park with continued work on the construction of mountain biking trails going smoothly. We are looking forward to breaking ground on the Pavilion at the Open Green in coming months, as well.

The Parks and Recreation Commission has recommended to the Valdese Town Council that the town seek a grant to assist with funding a future pool structure, as well as the type of structure to replace the Bubble. Commissioners and town staff will begin reviewing credentials from design firms in April with hopes of securing a firm’s services by May. In the meantime, the Parks and Recreation department will be hosting interest sessions about the project and the Accessible Parks grant the department will be applying for on May 1. These sessions will be Thursday, April 4 at 5:30pm at McGalliard Falls Park, and Saturday, April 6, at 9am and again at 10am at the Splash Pad building. Please reach out to us in the office at 879-2132 if you have any questions about the sessions, the grant, or accessibility at the Valdese Parks and Recreation Department.

We are looking forward to celebrating Spring with you all at your Valdese Parks and Recreation Department!

2024 Sanitation Schedule

Burke County's reverse 911 system and Smart911 App link. This is where you can sign up to receive the text alerts, the Smart911 App, and emails you in the event of an emergency.

Town of Valdese Hires New Police Chief-

Welcome, Marc Sharpe!

The Town of Valdese proudly announces the appointment of Marc Sharpe as the new Chief of Police effective March 25, 2024. With an impressive career spanning more than thirty-five years in law enforcement, Chief Sharpe brings a wealth of experience, leadership, and dedication to our community.

Chief Sharpe has a proven record of accomplishment in fostering community trust, implementing innovative strategies for crime prevention, and promoting a culture of accountability within law enforcement agencies. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to public safety and the well-being of the citizens he served.

Chief Sharpe was born in Valdese and returned eighteen months ago with his wife, Lisa Crenshaw Sharpe. They have a combined family of three children who are now successful adults. Throughout his career, he has remained connected to Valdese through family, friends, and community involvement. Chief Sharpe was instrumental in the start of the Waldensian Presbyterian Children’s Soccer Camp Program. In 2012 he approached the church pastor with the idea of sharing the skills he acquired as a collegiate athlete on the Pembroke State soccer team with the children of Valdese and the surrounding area. For six years Chief Sharpe led the summer camp program as a Christian outreach and the summer camp continues today.

Early in his career, Chief Sharpe worked as a police officer with the City of Wilmington where he served the department by conducting patrol functions, and street-level drug interdiction, and was selected to serve on the City’s SWAT team. His duties also included undercover assignments and community policing. He worked to develop a community policing approach within one of the city’s public housing neighborhoods. This resulted in restoring the relationship and trust between the neighborhood’s residents and law enforcement. In the mid to late 1990’s he served locally on the Burke County Narcotics Task Force as an Asset Forfeiture Investigator, Conspiracy Case Investigator, and SWAT Team Member.

Chief Sharpe comes to Valdese with extensive supervisory experience. In his most recent years in law enforcement, he served as Chief Detective with the Avery County Sheriff’s Office (July 2022-March 2024), Investigator with Greenville County Sherriff’s Office (January 2018-July 2022), and Special Agent III later retiring as Assistant Special Agent in Charge with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Chief Sharpe serves as an adjunct criminal justice professor with Catawba Valley Community College as well as Gardner Webb University.

“We are delighted to welcome Chief Sharpe to our Town and the Town of Valdese Police Department.,” said Mayor Watts. “His more than thirty-five years of experience, strong leadership qualities, and dedication to community policing make him the ideal candidate to lead our police force. We are confident that under his guidance, the department will continue to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and service.”

Chief Sharpe expressed his enthusiasm for the new role, stating, “I am honored to serve as the Chief of Police for The Town of Valdese. I am committed to building upon the department’s successes and working collaboratively with our community members to ensure a safe and secure environment for all.”

The Town of Valdese will formally welcome Chief Sharpe during a swearing-in ceremony on Monday, March 25th at 10am at the Town Hall Council Chambers. Please join us in welcoming Chief Marc Sharpe to the Town of Valdese and the Town of Valdese Police Department.

The Town of Valdese is an excellent place to work. With friendly co-workers, challenging duties, and an opportunity to interact with the citizens of the best town in America, seeking employment with the Town is a wonderful career decision.