Enochville School is not that old

I have a major concern about the mentioning of closings of the Rowan-Salisbury School System elementary Schools. When they posted information about Enochville Elementary and when it was constructed, it was not complete, accurate information.

I worked at Enochville Elementary for 25 years and know for a fact that there is only one building that at the site that was constructed in 1936. One building constructed in 1954. One building constructed in the 1970s.

The gym was constructed in 1993/1994. The office and main building was constructed in 1997. Cafeteria was remodeled and new addition in 1997. New heating/cooling units have been put in buildings along with new carpet.

I feel as if the information should be posted in a correct manner, and not to make it sound as if the entire campus is a 1930’s site. Even though they are not brand new buildings, they are very well kept and clean for the students.

It would be a total shame to close these buildings. Enochville Elementary has staff that takes great pride in the buildings and the education of the children that go there.

It would be a total disgust, and is a total disgust, that this thought ever crossed anybody’s mind. We need to keep community schools! That is where our children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews learn and are loved the most.

— Troy Broadway

Enochville

Worth repeating

Salisbury residents were treated to an amazing and unique display of talent when Dr. Rob Robertson took the stage at The Meroney Theatre on April 7. The sold-out benefit concert for Rowan Helping Ministries allowed this gifted performer to blend his many talents into an entertaining and high-energy performance.

We want to thank all of those who made this special night possible. Owen and Elizabeth Norvell and Gerry Wood Auto Group (Gerry and Brenda Wood) were sponsors for the show, and we greatly appreciate their financial support. Kluttz Piano Co. loaned and delivered the baby grand piano used to showcase Dr. Rob’s talent. Thank you to Jonathan and Banks Kluttz for their important support.

The staff at The Meroney was awesome to work with, and the building provided a beautiful backdrop for the performance. We also thank our enthusiastic and engaged audience for supporting Rowan Helping Ministries’ services through your ticket purchases. Concert proceeds will help provide essential needs for our Rowan County neighbors who struggle to make ends meet.

And last, but not least, we thank Dr. Rob for using his special talent to help his neighbors in need. Laced with his quirky humor and trademark antics, the show spanned various styles of music — classical, sacred, patriotic, ragtime, Broadway, Disney, pop, rock and roll. Dr. Rob dedicated many hours prior to the show and every ounce of his energy during the show to make it a great success. And after an encore call and double standing ovations, his audience would have stayed for more.

And there will be more, Dr. Rob has offered to continue our partnership by providing another concert or series of concerts at a future date. Watch for information in the coming months and don’t miss experiencing the incredible talent of this engaging, local performer.

— Kyna Grubb

Salisbury

The writer is executive director of Rowan Helping Ministries.

Boycott is bad idea

A 2013 Gallup poll found that about 3 percent of North Carolinians identify as LGBT. Using these percentages, and applying them to the 650 jobs which PayPal and Deutsche Bank have canceled creating because they oppose HB 2, we find that about 20 LGBT citizens have been denied employment because of the companies’ actions.

This brings up an important point and highlights why it is that boycotting an entire state (as opposed to a single business) is a bad idea, one which has a number of repercussions.

In boycotting North Carolina, companies like PayPal are not only punishing the people with whom they disagree about this matter — they are also hurting the people they claim to be defending. And whereas HB 2 only made it possible that LGBT people might be discriminated against and hurt in business activities, the actions of companies like PayPal make it certain that at least some LGBT citizens will definitely be hurt.

Furthermore, both PayPal and Deutsche Bank conduct business in China, where thousands of people have had their organs live-harvested in recent years. Where is their economic activism and moral outrage in that case?

Everyone should be opposed to such economic coercion as that displayed by some companies in this controversy. If you wish to boycott a specific business or person, by all means do so. But boycotting an entire state is counterproductive (it hurts those it aims to help), often hypocritical (why boycott North Carolina rather than other places that do far worse things?), and divisive, stirring up needless tension and promoting intolerance and simple incivility in public discourse.

There are other means of redress (the legal processes and civil disagreements); let us use them instead of economic coercion, which is little more than corporate thuggery.

— Tom Hervey

Stanfield