Orthodontist in Harrisburg NC

HARRISBURG, NC — Feces, toilet paper, and maggots cover parts of a home in Cabarrus county. It’s been like that for more than a month.

Jeanine Hughes says she is overwhelmed by the filth as she goes through cancer treatment.

The sights and smells as you walk down to the lower level of Jeanine Hughes’ home is enough to turn the strongest of stomachs.

“Sometimes you’ll see some worms or some maggots on the ground,” said Hughes.

It’s been like this since November 30th when the home’s septic tank gave out.

“The very first time that this happened, I just sat on my bed and I cried. I didn’t know what to do,” explained Hughes.

Not ideal living conditions for a woman battling breast cancer. Hughes was given the option of getting out of her lease or being reimbursed $125 per day for a hotel until the management company gets the septic tank replaced. Not wanting to move out of Harrisburg, Hughes and her two teenagers lived out of hotels through Christmas.

“I just wanted a great Christmas, a great New Year, because I was really grateful for even seeing it. So that’s been the hardest part,” Hughes told WCCB’s Gary Brode.

Hughes’ tenant ledger shows she was reimbursed about $3,700 dollars within the last month. However, the money was credited to her rental account and she is still being charged rent for December and January.

Hughes said she told a Pure Property Management representative she was under the impression the money would be put back in her pocket rather than her rental account.

Pure Property Management’s operations manger tells WCCB that Hugh’s can ask the money be sent to her but he never got that request.

“I know that our team, if they came to me and said she would prefer to have this sent to her by check, I personally can authorize that. But at no time did anyone identify that she had requested that it be sent to her,” explained Terrence Grogan.

Running low on funds, Hughes was forced to move back to a feces filled home just after the holidays.

After we reached out, Cabarrus County deemed the home uninhabitable on Wednesday.

Hughes and her family will now have to go back to a hotel with no end in sight.

“I just wanted it taken care of,” explained Hughes.

Pure Property Management said they are doing everything they can fast track the process of getting the septic tank fixed. They also said Hughes will not be charged for these last two months of rent and if she requests to have the money reimbursed directly to her, she will get it in a matter of days.

If you have a story you want us to look into send us an email at newstips@wccbcharlotte.com.

A family in a Harrisburg community run by a homeowners association said the HOA sent violation letters selectively.

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HARRISBURG, N.C. — Soon after the Aziz family moved to the Heatherstone community in Harrisburg in 2017, they discovered the backyard had drainage issues.

Adil Aziz applied for HOA approval and was approved to build a retaining wall and a fence.

"We found the source of the water. It was actually coming from our adjacent neighbor," Aziz said. "They had a 4-inch pipe that was directed to us and that's where the water was coming from. So we talked to the neighbors and it didn't go anywhere."

At the same time, Aziz became a board member of the HOA.

For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app and enable push notifications."At the very first meeting, I was asking some questions about money. I thought it was mismanaged because we had to put some mulch. The cost was $12,000," Aziz said. "At the very next meeting, I was asked to step down as a board member."

In June 2018, a special community meeting was called to vote for his removal. Documents cited the Aziz family for failing to abide by the HOA's governing documents. Specifically, it said the Azizes property was not in compliance with the covenants. It also said that, although the board had approved an architectural request submitted by Aziz, the projects were not constructed according to the approval.

While homeowners voted to keep Aziz on as a board member, that didn't stop the violation letters from the HOA.

One violation was for building a retaining wall six inches taller than what the Azizes applied for, which was approximately 18 inches.

Another violation cited them for building a fence less than the required minimum of 12 feet from the curb.

Aziz told WCNC Charlotte that the HOA is not sending violation letters to other neighbors for violations of the same covenants.

"There's actually a neighbor who lives on the other street. He's in complete violation. His fence is only eight feet from the back of the curb. And they don't even bother with him," Aziz said.

The Azizes were also cited for a third violation, which claimed that they built a fence support without approval.

Adil Aziz said there's nothing in the covenants saying homeowners need to apply for a fence support separately.

Aziz said that in May 2018, the adjacent neighbors sent them a letter saying the fence support violated the declarations or original approval by the HOA.

READ MORE: Yes, the HOA can foreclose your home if the owner’s fees go unpaid

Aziz filed a complaint against the neighbors who in turn filed their own motions against the Azizes and the HOA.

The Azizes amended their complaint adding the HOA as another defendant, after which the HOA also filed a counterclaim.

"They called it a barrier but it's a fence support. It's holding our fence. They say we built it without approval. I said that's not true. We applied for the fence. We got approved to build a fence. He says we had to file separately for the fence support. Well, where in the covenants does it say we have to file separately for that? I mean, are we going to apply separately for a fence gate?"

In November 2021, Adil and Gladys Aziz represented themselves in a jury trial in a Cabarrus County courtroom.

Court documents show the family did not violate HOA covenants by constructing a retaining wall or a fence in the manner that they did.

However, the jury believed the Azizes did breach their obligation with concrete support.

"They want us to pay $4350 for not complying with the covenants," Aziz said.

The judge agreed and said the association was entitled to collect the fee.

The Azizes disagreed with the judge's decision since the couple asked for a declaratory judgment. They said, rather than judging the bylaws as a matter of law, the judge presented it to the jury as a matter of fact, a distinction they argue affected the outcome.

The Azizes have since recently filed a motion for reconsideration in the appellate court. They set up a gofundme to help with costs.

You can stream WCNC Charlotte on Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV, just download the free app.

WCNC reached out to the attorney for Heatherstone's HOA. In response, she wrote:

"The Association generally does not comment on ongoing litigation, out of respect for the legal process and to protect privilege. However, the Association does wish to make it absolutely clear that there is no merit to any claim of discrimination or selective enforcement by it. Heatherstone is a diverse community governed by covenants (rules and regulations) that apply to all homeowners equally. When the Azizes initially sued the Association and their neighbors they included a claim of selective enforcement. That claim was dismissed by the court. The current litigation has only continued because of the Azizes refusal to cure the violation on their property (which was affirmed by a jury) and because of their refusal to accept the outcome of a jury trial, and appeal, that they lost. This has led to the Association incurring substantial fees, all because of the Azizes' actions, and the board intends to pursue recovery for its membership consistent with the court's ruling. We are aware of the claims from the Azizes that the Association has refused to settle with them, as well. The fact is that the Azizes have demanded, and continue to demand, settlement on their terms alone. They have never conceded any obligation to pay back any portion of the fines assessed against them (and upheld by a jury of their peers) or any portion of the attorney fees the Association members collectively are entitled to recover from them under both the Declaration and North Carolina law. The Association contends that the Azizes have refused to engage in any reasonable settlement discussions, and until that happens, this case will continue to be litigated."

In a financial statement sent by the Azizes, Heatherstone's HOA spent almost $23,000 in legal fees in FY 2022 and approved another $25,000 for FY 2023.

Harrisburg, NC (RestaurantNews.com) Cookie Co. is opening a new store in Harrisburg, NC on March 2, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. located at 4055 Harris Square Drive Unit 4047 Harrisburg, NC 28075.

“We are excited to be opening Cookie Co. Harrisburg. We are a small, local, family operated business. We always had a dream to run a business together as a family where our children can grow and learn; where they can see hard work, dedication and perseverance. Opening a Cookie Co. has given us this opportunity to fulfill this lifelong dream. We plan to pour our dedication into creating our unique and craveable gourmet cookies, inspired by our faith and commitment to quality. We feel blessed to serve the Harrisburg community and surrounding areas. We invite you to come and experience the best gourmet cookies made with a special blend of faith, family and love.” – Rick and Katy Witham Franchise Owner and Operator of Cookie Co Harrisburg, NC.

Cookie Co.’s menu includes a variety of freshly baked cookies and twisted sodas. The grand opening event will include a special gift for the first 50 customers. This event will also have special promotions during different parts of the day such as “Free Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies” We are also giving away free cookies for a year to one lucky guest through a raffle on our grand opening day in store.

Cookie Co. has 20+ locations currently opened in the U.S. and is projected to open multiple more locations this year. The brand plans to open 50 new franchise locations in the next few years. Cookie Co. is franchising in the U.S. and Canada, please visit their website for franchise opportunities by clicking here.

About Cookie Co.

“Gourmet cookies, made locally,” began in the heart of Redlands, California. The flagship Cookie Co. location opened in August 2020 without any traditional marketing – simply great cookies and happy customers sharing word of mouth. With their proprietary recipes, Cookie Co. began offering six flavors per week, one always being Cookie Co.’s famous Chocolate Chip cookie.

Cookie Co.’s mission is to be the local cookie shop at the core of every great town – a symbol of happiness, comfort, and hope. Supporting all things local by investing in the community and paying it forward through charitable giving, Cookie Co. believes that each local cookie shop can help their communities thrive together.

Follow us on LinkedIn by clicking here.Follow us on Instagram by clicking here.

Contact:alexis@cookieco.com

Station 3 said it had to close twice in 48 hours due to a shortage of command staff.

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HARRISBURG, N.C. — Harrisburg Fire Department Station 3 is back in service after representatives for the Cabarrus Professional Firefighters Association posted on social media staffing shortages forced them to close twice in 48 hours over a busy Fourth of July weekend.

In response, Harrisburg town manager, Rob Donham, told WCNC, they had an incident Saturday where one of their scheduled fire personnel scheduled had a last-minute medical issue.

"Our Deputy Fire Chief decided to switch staff around to other stations to accommodate their absence," Donham emailed. "Chief Dunn’s quote on Saturday was that he moved extra personnel to our other two stations because 'Over staffing 2 stations gives the Town better service in situations like this. Our multiple other stations, Cabarrus County EMS, and mutual aid agreements provide for excellent coverage in these rare circumstance where we have a sick or injured firefighter out with short notice. We do not expect any significant service difference when these situations occur.'”

Harrisburg is located between Concord and Charlotte, two of the state's biggest cities.

Representatives for Local 3393 said part of the problem is because of lateral hiring where people with some training and tenure are going elsewhere for a higher salary.

Anthony Evans, trustee of Professional Firefighters and Paramedics of North Carolina, was also a former president of the firefighters union which includes the Harrisburg Fire Department.

"They're trained, they're passionate -- they want to do the best for Harrisburg," Evans told WCNC Charlotte. "But when they don't have staffing and they don't have money for their employees, it makes it very hard to do their job. If you have three people instead of four, it changes the entire game."

For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app and enable push notifications.

Evans and Jeff Tracey, district vice president for PFFPNC, said the town of Harrisburg is hiring but has employee retention issues, primarily because they're not paying enough.

They said starting base pay for a firefighter in Harrisburg is about $38,000 as of July 2023.

"Harrisburg did do a pay study," Evans said. "The pay study was still below the statewide standard."

Donham argued, the town confirmed with Evans at the time he was president of Local 3393, that the pay study was accurate.

"However, we both agreed that firefighter pay throughout the country isn’t commensurate with the hard work and dedication needed for the job," Donham said. "We have never heard back from the local fire union on any issues until this story ran which was a surprise to the town."

Down about a dozen people, or 30%, Tracey said that number is almost an entire shift's worth of staff not responding to emergency calls.

"Obviously, that's going to increase your response times -- an industry standard, we're looking at having the entire assignment of companies dispatched to a house fire on scene in eight minutes," Tracey said. "That's assuming that first company is going to be there in three or four minutes average once they get out the door. But if that company shut down, your next company is going to be six minutes away."

Donham acknowledged firefighter staff shortages, noting it is a challenge the fire service is seeing nationally.

The town manager said, "Harrisburg has certainly had to deal with that challenge the same as any other department. We are not down 30% though, we currently have a 54 person department and have 8 vacancies for fire fighters. We have 3 new recruits in training ready to start this fall which will fill 3 of the 8 vacancies. Although due to our growth we have added 3 more fire fighter positions in 2024, and are always actively recruiting people since we are one of the fastest growing towns in North Carolina."

You can stream WCNC Charlotte on Roku and Amazon Fire TV, just download the free app.

Tracey added the only reason why Station 3 was able to operate again on July 3 is because the battalion chief moved to the back of the station's truck.

"That's like taking your CEO to go sell groceries at Harris Teeter," Tracey said. "It was a step in the right direction but when you're down 30%, it's inevitable it's going to happen again. And we're going to tell the public every single time it's going on."

The town manager, Rob Donham, told WCNC the town of Harrisburg did not experience a break in calls for service while Station 3 was closed.

Anyone looking to work in the Harrisburg community should visit www.harrisburgnc.org and apply online.

HARRISBURG, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A youth football team from Harrisburg says they’re fighting for a refund after a charter bus company canceled their transportation to their first out-of-town football game at the last minute.

The Harrisburg Cowboys 9U team has only lost one game in the past two years, so their coach, Jeffrey Sapp, thought it might be a good idea to try playing some new competition outside of the immediate area. They scheduled a game in Wilmington for Sept. 23.

“We wanted to give them that full experience to go overnight, spend time with their teammates, and then get the charter bus—make it all look official,” said Sapp.

The coaches said the team fundraised in the preseason to be able to afford the special trip, which would mark their first overnight football experience. The coaches and parents wanted to make them feel like NFL players, with matching hoodies and a charter bus to take them to their destination.

The team paid Semper Fi Tours $2,600 to pick them up from Harrisburg Park on Sept. 22. The kids were already waiting at the park when the bus company’s owner texted Sapp, saying that he no longer felt comfortable driving the kids to their destination as Tropical Storm Ophelia had made landfall just 85 miles north.

“This was going to be a big experience for the kids, being away from their parents, and it kind of made them feel grown up,” said parent Kendal Hicks. “It totally bummed them out.”

Fortunately, team parents quickly stepped in to help drive the 33 teammates to Wilmington in time for their game.

According to text messages, Semper Fi promised to send a refund by Oct. 1. But the date came and went, and Sapp said he had trouble getting in touch with the owner.

He said he eventually got a hold of another employee with Semper Fi, who informed him he would receive his refund by Oct. 16. On that date, he says he was sent only $200.

“$2,600 to a youth football team is like winning the lottery,” said Sapp. “We don’t want anyone else to go through what we had to go through. It’s just frustrating.”

In a statement sent to Queen City News, Semper Fi Tours said:

“We canceled the trip due to a storm in Wilmington, which is the location they were going to. The storm was carrying strong winds and a bad thunderstorm. We didn’t see it fit to drive a bus full of children in that type of weather. We have refunded Mr. Sapp a portion of his money and will still refund him the remaining balance by the end of the month. We never said we wouldn’t.”

Sapp said Semper Fi was recommended to him by another youth football coach, but after a search on the Better Business Bureau, he learned the company has an “F” rating.