Most Memorable Quotes of 2019

Arts & Entertainment

“I’m being emotionally tormented watching the guy that I’m falling in love with develop relationships with other women and they don’t give a (bleep) about him.” – Caelynn Miller-Keyes, of Charlotte, on “The Bachelor” (SCW, Jan. 11)

“I’d like people to learn about the beauty of mathematics and geometry, because geometry is really beautiful and artistic, too.” – Bob Sebrosky, who created a rhomicuboctahedron and other shapes built of wood for his Matthews yard (MMHW, Jan. 11)

“Charlotte’s growing and has so many different people from all over, but this mural is bringing those people together to all enjoy the same thing.” – Jackie Zawislak about Evelyn Henson’s Confetti Hearts Wall (SCW, Feb. 15)

“Just because everyone is different doesn’t mean we can’t all come together to create a beautiful world, just like a beautiful piece of art.” – Marissa Louer about Evelyn Henson’s Confetti Hearts Wall (SCW, Feb. 15)

“We sing so damn good in our 80s.” – Gerry Schmitt on the Gold Tones choir at Plantation Estates in Matthews (MMHW, May 17)

“It’s kind of weird watching the show after you’ve been through the experience. It is definitely something I would do again because it was fun.” – Teagan O’Sullivan after competing in the Jeopardy Teen Tournament (SCW, June 14)

“I’m a hopeless romantic. I see love in squirrels.” – Charlotte resident Iris Caldwell during an episode of Lifetime’s “Married at First Sight” (SCW, July 12)

“It’s important for them to have this joy…to meet superheroes or movie characters in real life. It fuels your imagination as a child. Their imagination needs to be stimulated in a world where technology rules.” – Moriah Thompson, owner of Carolina Characters, a company where you can rent characters for events (SCW, Oct. 18)

Business

“Honestly, I didn’t really do much, but I really do appreciate you having me up here. The least I could do is play a little guitar.” – Sam Woods, first baby born at Novant Health Matthews Medical Center upon his return to the hospital during the 25th anniversary (MMHW, Aug. 30)

“People pay thousands of dollars to insure their homes, hundreds of dollars to insure their cars. But if you ask them what are your most valuable possessions, what does everyone say? My pictures and my movies.” – Shane Hunt, owner of Records Reduction in Matthews (MMHW, Oct. 4)

“We all represent the name Michael Jordan. You see my name, but you see a lot of people behind me being a community that matters.” – Michael Jordan at the opening of a Novant Health clinic bearing his name Oct. 17 (SCW, Oct. 25)

“People always say it’s about who you know. But who I know doesn’t matter, it’s about who knows me.” – Andy Griesinger, a Realtor with Keller Williams SouthPark with 12,000 Instagram followers (SCW, Oct. 25)

Community

“An encounter with police can be scary for any of us, so that fear is intensified when we have an individual who is struggling with a mental health or substance abuse disorder. We believe the mere presence of a clinician on scene, who’s able to establish rapport and build trust relatively quickly with these individuals, will provide a sense of comfort and support as we work to get them connected to the necessary community resources.” – Keshia Ginn, president of CriSyS, on her firm working with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department to halt tense situations on calls (SCW, Jan. 25)

“Before The Happy Times Club, when I was 40, I felt like I didn’t do much with my life besides raising my children. Now that I see all of these happy faces, I can honestly say I couldn’t imagine a more fulfilling life for myself.” – Club founder Iris DeVore during her 90th birthday celebration Feb. 7 at the Levine Senior Center in Matthews (MMHW, Feb. 15)

“I threw my paperwork on the chair beside me and I said, “Hell, let’s talk about planes.” – Real estate agent Ed Funderburk upon walking into 94-year-old Paul Norman’s office and seeing World War II memorabilia (MMHW, March 29)

“God willing, I’m going to keep walking. I like to know what is going on.” – Olivia Morales, of Matthews, upon turning 100 years old (MMHW, April 12)

“Don’t stop trying to reach your goal. I know it may be tough, but in the end, you’ll get your prize and feel accomplished and you can look back and say, ‘I did that.’” – 9-year-old Maddie Miller who sold more than 3,550 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to earn a laptop (MMHW, May 10)

“I don’t believe children should be told who they are or what their interests should be; rather, I believe that it’s my job as a parent to give my son as many experiences as possible, and with guardrails, allow him to figure out who he is.” – Heather Briganti, who American Mothers named 2019 North Carolina Mother of the Year (SCW, May 10)

“I’ve seen Mint Hill change over the years, and it has always kept its small-town feel. The people here are genuine.” – Jerry Flowe, a Vietnam veteran, prior to serving as grand marshal of the Mint Hill Madness parade (MMHW, May 17)

“This is the day that we fight for those who are in darkness. There is really no knowledge when you have Alzheimer’s disease of when it is morning and when it is night. We are fighting to bring more awareness to the Alzheimer’s Association.” – Plantation Estates Director of Wellness Theresa Perry during “The Longest Day” 5K on June 21 in Matthews (MMHW, July 5)

“My goal is to one day become so Carolinian my parents don’t even recognize me at the dinner table. I’ll say, ‘Pass the biscuits and Cheerwine,’ and my mom will faint into her bowl of clam chowder. It’s only a matter of time.” – News Editor Karie Simmons on crossing items off her Carolina bucket list (MMHW, Aug. 2)

“It’s a big part of who I am, but it’s also a big part of who God has called me to be as a lesbian, as a queer person, as an ordained queer person. God’s love has been known to me for my entire life, just exactly as I am. And sharing that love of God with other people is very meaningful to me.” – The Rev. Marion Sprott-Goldson of Saint Martin’s Episcopal Church (SCW, Aug. 23)

“It’s something you don’t recover from. You still have nightmares … When it gets close to that day it’s even harder. I can feel it. I can see it. I can smell it. That smell will never go away – never go.” – Willie Wahnon, a retired Brooklyn police officer and 9/11 first responder who served during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack (SCW, Sept. 6)

“We are not a bunch of old men sitting in a smoke-filled room drinking whiskey,” – Joe Reale, a vice commander in the North Carolina department of the American Legion, at the groundbreaking for American Legion Memorial Stadium (SCW, Sept. 27)

“My goal is to be able to figure out a way that we can help when someone walks in the door in a deeper way. And a deeper way would be being able to help them with all of their needs. Not that we can have an unlimited budget, but just to go deeper … When someone comes in, we want to say yes.” – Sandra Conway, of Matthews HELP Center, on its 40th anniversary (MMHW, Oct. 25)

“We didn’t want to build a Disney World. We wanted this to be a village that truly represents the history, and what a great history we have here in Mint Hill to celebrate.” – Becky Griffin, executive director for Mint Hill Historical Society, on a new barn at the Carl J. McEwen Historic Village (MMHW, Nov. 1)

“Cultural diversity is important because our country, workplaces and schools increasingly consist of various cultural, racial and ethnic groups. We can learn from one another, but first we must have a level of understanding about each other.” – Natisha Rivera-Patrick, who chairs the Matthews Cultural Diversity Committee, during a Diwali festival (MMHW, Nov. 1)

“Wages have not kept up with housing costs. Until we fix the wage issue, housing will always be unaffordable or unattainable.” – Natisha Rivera-Patrick, president and CEO of Greater Matthews Habitat for Humanity, on people not affording to live in Matthews (MMHW, Nov. 15)

“While we young people may not be able to vote today, we have something just as powerful, and that is our voices. And we must use them.” – International activist Greta Thunberg during a Nov. 8 climate strike in Charlotte (SCW, Nov. 15)

“The people are the hope right now. Humanity is now standing at a crossroads, and when we look back at this crucial time, we want to be able to say that we did everything we possibly could to push the world in the right direction.” – International activist Greta Thunberg during a Nov. 8 climate strike in Charlotte (SCW, Nov. 15)

Education

“We hope to not find weapons. We hope this will increase students’ awareness of why bringing a weapon to school is never a good idea.” – Laura Francisco, chief of staff for Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, on the district’s pilot program to screen for weapons (MMHW, Jan. 18)

“I wish we weren’t in this position, but we live in a society where guns have become all too prevalent. Quite frankly, it’s not anything I think any of the professional staff in this district ever thought they would find themselves doing.” – Superintendent Clayton Wilcox on Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools on rolling out random screenings for weapons at schools (MMHW, Jan. 18)

“By coming to understand the parameters, complexities and nuances in which schools and school systems operate, we’re laying the groundwork for real, effective, smart, creative problem-solving solutions together. Our kids are counting on us to collaborate on their behalf.” – School board member Elyse Dashew on the work of the Municipal Education Advisory Committee, which was formed to communicate with towns about growth patterns and capital needs (MMHW, Jan. 25)

“The school board showed courage when they voted to merge our two schools – Billingsville and Cotswold – together. When this happened, students regardless of their economic status, were given access to a strong IB program on the two campuses. My friends from both campuses showed courage by making new friends and helping expand our community.” – Kendal Cuevas, a fifth-grader at Cotswold IB World School at the March 12 school board meeting (SCW, March 15)

“I don’t believe you can stop a determined assailant and still have an open campus.” – UNC Charlotte Chancellor Philip Dubois after the April 30 shooting (SCW, May 3)

“When the superintendent introduced his budget recommendation, he made the point that our kids should matter most in our community and that numbers in our budgets today do create stories about their tomorrows. Our budget really is a story about what matters most to us.” – Chief Financial Officer Sheila Shirley on the school budget (MMHW, May 3)

“So many times kids feel as though their voice does not matter. We see and hear that from our kids today. One of the things that they know once you step foot in Mrs. Tuttle’s classroom, you’re not my student. You are my child.” – CMS Teacher of the Year Kimberly Tuttle on teaching (MMHW, May 10)

“We experience what happens in the world around us. We have information and news at our fingertips the moment it happens, but the things that are designed to bring us closer together are tearing us apart. The real challenge is how we support and guide our students through the many unexplained events that rocked our world.” – Principal David LeGrand to Independence High School’s class of 2019 (MMHW, June 21)

“As a commissioner, I have asked for this for three years–”
“As a superintendent, I have said we are not going to do it that way, commissioner, but we are going to provide safety and security to all of the kids.”
– Matthews Commissioner Kress Query & CMS Superintendent Clayton Wilcox disagreeing on putting additional cameras at mobile units at Elizabeth Lane Elementary School (MMHW, July 12)

“We are called at this moment in our district’s history to keep moving forward confidently while providing the surety of experienced leadership. In the end, we prioritized a strong, steady guiding light already here in our community, saving all of us valuable time and resources. We believe this decision reflects the community’s desire for stability, for calm guidance and clear focus on what matters most – our students and their teaching and learning.” – a statement from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education on the promotion of Earnest Winston as superintendent Aug. 2 following Clayton Wilcox’s resignation (MMHW, Aug. 9)

“What I will want to do is to reassure our families, our students, that CMS continues to move forward uninterrupted. We’re preparing for the first day of school on Aug. 26.” – Earnest Winston on becoming superintendent Aug. 2 (MMHW, Aug. 9)

“We recognize that growth and overcrowding are issues here. Through our future bond referendums and our existing 2017 bond, we are going to try and address those overcrowding issues. We are well aware that they exist.” – Earnest Winston told the Ballantyne Breakfast Club on Oct. 5 (SCW, Oct. 11)

“Redistricting is hard. We recognize that and we know this will not be easy.” – CMS Associate Superintendent Akeshia Craven-Howell on redistricting involving Elizabeth Lane Elementary School (MMHW, Nov. 22)

Government

“It was disappointing that the bonds didn’t pass because I think all three of those projects would have been good for the town for economic development and good for our children in town. But there have been no formal discussions on potential next steps. Some folks are still in shock to some degree.” – Mint Hill Town Manager Brian Welch after voters rejected two bond issues in November 2018 (MMHW, Jan. 11)

“We did not vote no. We pushed the button for less pet projects, less grand complexes and self-serving groups being funded in Mint Hill.” – Larry Bumgarner on why he voted against Mint Hill bond referendums in November 2018 (MMHW, Jan. 18)

“This kind of arrives out of nowhere after we’ve already sunk $38 million and I’m just uncomfortable. I kind of feel like I’m a party to a misrepresentation to the taxpayers.” – Charlotte City Councilman Ed Driggs on the city needing an additional $77 million for the 26-mile pedestrian and bicycle trail from Pineville to UNC Charlotte (SCW, Jan. 18)

“We need someone in the U.S. Senate that will stand up for North Carolina, speak out for our nation, restore dignity to our country. We don’t have to stand by while our state is held back by fear and division. We the people have the power.” – Trevor Fuller on announcing his candidacy for U.S. Senate (SCW, Jan. 25)

“I don’t want to say it startled me, but it startled me.” – Trevor Fuller on the sticker shock of his new assessment following the county revaluation (MMHW, Feb. 1)

“People feel a little intimidated coming to the police department. Some people don’t like calling the police department because they feel like they are taking our time. If it is a big thing for our citizens, it’s a big thing to our police department. We can address those issues through this.” – Mint Hill Police Chief Tim Ledford on his department’s Coffee with a Cop program (MMHW, Feb. 8)

“Mint Hill is at a crossroads right now. We need to see if we are accomplishing the goals that we set way back then and if our goals are the same. I feel like we need somebody capable of looking back at where we have been and be able to look forward to where we are headed. I want to lump all that together so Mint Hill continues to be the great town I have lived in for the last 35 years.” – Brad Simmons upon launching his campaign for Mint Hill mayor (MMHW, Feb. 15)

“This has been the most trying time of my life. I have had days that I have been strong, and I have had days that I have been weak and have been a complete basket case.” – Beth Harris, wife of Mark Harris, amid the investigation into the congressional election amid her husband’s illnesses (MMHW, Feb. 22)

“I, like a lot of other sheriffs around this great state, do not believe the role of the sheriff’s office is to actively partner with ICE to carry out civil immigration enforcement.” – Sheriff Garry McFadden to county commissioners on ending participation in ICE’s 287(g) program (SCW, Feb. 22)

“Through the testimony I’ve listened to over the past three days, I believe a new election should be called. It’s become clear to me that the public’s confidence in the 9th District seat general election has been undermined to an extent that a new election has been warranted.” – Mark Harris during a State Board of Elections hearing on Feb. 21 (SCW, March 1)

“As long as I have been a commissioner for 12 years, every citizen and survey we take states that we have a parking problem. We need to show the citizens that we listened to them and we are reacting.” – Matthews Commissioner Jeff Miller explaining during a planning conference why leaders ranked a downtown parking deck among top discussion topics (MMHW, March 1)

“As we get older, our bodies after 30 years of getting up-and-down on a rig, climbing ladders and pulling hose, your body breaks down. As we stay longer, we are more apt to have an injury and other things.” – Tom Brewer, president of the Professional Fire Fighters and Paramedics of North Carolina and the president of Charlotte Fire Fighters Local 660, about the “Parity for First Responders” bill (MMHW, March 22)

“I heard every day and at the polls today was no different, the people are astonished and amazed and dismayed at what they see coming out of Washington these days from the liberal crazy clowns.” – Dan Bishop said amid the Republican primary for the congressional seat he would win in September (MMHW, May 17)

“We can not tax the residents of Charlotte out of this city and bankrupt ourselves with excess spending.” Charlotte City Councilman Ed Driggs upon filing for reelection (SCW, July 12)

“Stealing signs does not represent the Town of Matthews, our values or our morals.” – Matthews town commissioner candidate Ken McCool on campaign signs getting stolen (MMHW, Sept. 20)

“Sometimes political candidates resort to desperate measures to seek attention.” – Matthews Mayor Paul Bailey in response to a story about missing campaign signs (MMHW, Sept. 27)

“We seem to only talk about Providence Road during rezonings. And it’s super annoying.” – Charlotte City Councilman Tariq Bokhari during a Sept. 16 rezoning hearing (SCW, Sept. 27)

“We’ve got to be planning for rapid growth, not just in our city but as a region. We’re the hub of that region. I think the interest that Gastonia, Belmont, Matthews, Stallings – all these towns – have shown us shows us how critical it is that we act like a region and move people from one place to another.” – Charlotte City Councilwoman Julie Eiselt during a discussion about spending $50 million on pre-development for the LYNX Silver Line (SCW, Oct. 15)

“We’re getting to places like Providence Road and many other places in Charlotte where it’s just not physically possible, financially possible or even from a community character, reasonable to widen a road or invest in transportation the way we used to. So, technology, single timing to autonomous vehicles to even the scooters, all of these things that are changing, if managed well, will be part of the solution by which we manage growth long-term.” – Charlotte Department of Transportation Deputy Director Ed McKinney on transportation planning, particularly for Providence Road (SCW, Nov. 22)

Sports

“I don’t have to worry about our guys getting up for Butler and I don’t have to worry about Butler getting up for us. We’ll be ready and we’ll go at it.” – Independence boys basketball coach Preston Davis on his team’s upcoming game against a familiar foe (MMHW, Jan. 11)

“She’s not 37-5 by beating wimps. She’s 37-5 from beating tough kids.” – Providence wrestling coach Scott Bosak on senior Nikoly Dos Santos (MMHW, Feb. 8)

“I am just following God’s plan by Him using me as a vessel to continue inspiring kids that they can become whoever or whatever they want in life. I am just using my testimony through basketball.” – Charlotte Hornets legend Muggsy Bogues on the importance of giving back through basketball camps (SCW, March 8)

“To say that I went to four straight Final Fours is awesome. I’m very proud of that. And the two championships is something I’m obviously very proud of. The only thing I’m not proud of is that I have a losing record to the Tar Heels. I think the only team I have a losing record to is the Tar Heels. I think we were 5-6 against them or something.” – Duke legend and former Dream Team player Christian Laettner in a Q&A (SCW, March 15)

“Between football and basketball, the last time you untie the cleats or walk off the court it’s a tough feeling and even when you win a state championship. It was really hard and really emotional. All of the experiences I’ve had with all of these kids since sixth grade are coming to an end and it’s really sad, but it’s got to end at some point.” – Charlotte Catholic basketball and football standout Adam Robbe on graduating (SCW, March 22)

“I probably shouldn’t say it, but if he was 6-feet, he could have played in the NFL. He was that good.” – Steve Shaughnessy on Butler coach Mark Sanders’s potential playing football for Garinger in 1984 (MMHW, March 22)

“So many people went out of their way when I was younger to help me, so I felt like I was obligated to help anybody else that needed something or needed a chance.“ – Butler coach Mark Sanders on how coaches made an impact on his life (MMHW, March 22)

“I felt like where I came from and not having much and having help to get me where I’ve gotten it’s my duty and my nature making sure that if I’m in the position to help others than I’m all for it.” – Charlotte Hornets legend Muggsy Bogues on giving back (SCW, June 21)

“Every year we gear up to go to the state championship game. Some years you have the talent and some years you don’t. This year I think we have it all. We have the leadership, we have the talent and more than anything our game plan has been easy because they’ve executed it.” – Charlotte Catholic soccer coach Oscar Del Pino prior to the state title match (SCW, Nov. 22)