On The Porch

This Week: 

Jason Amy is an award-winning high school teacher, coach, and athletic director in Chatham County schools in Pittsboro, NC. Mr. Amy received Northwood Teacher of the Year in 2020 and in 2021 was presented the NCHSAA Dave Harris Athletic Director of the Year. In 2021, after 14 years serving as the Athletic Director at Northwood High School, Mr. Amy took on his biggest challenge by becoming the athletic director for Seaforth High School, Chatham’s newest high school. Seaforth recently earned the Wells Fargo State Cup for the best interscholastic high school in the 2A division after only three years in existence. Jason Amy served 5 honorable years in the United States Marine Corps and received a Bachelor’s degree from UNC-Wilmington in 2003.  Jason Amy has been married to Heather Amy for 28 years. They have a son Carson and daughter Kayla.

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Taylor Hobbs III, a co-founder and principal of Hobbs Architects, is the design lead within the office. Taylor was raised in rural eastern North Carolina where simple agricultural buildings compose the architectural language of the coastal plain landscape. These roots and his service on numerous boards have led to Taylor’s great success working on a variety of local and regional, community-based municipal, institutional, and residential projects.

Grimsley T. Hobbs, Jr. is a co-founder and principal of Hobbs Architects.
Since starting his first architectural practice in 1982, Grimsley has been the lead architect on numerous public and private projects that include public school buildings, county courthouses, county facilities of various types, and professional office buildings. His emphasis has been on well-designed projects that are focused on the details. Complicated renovation and restoration projects are a specialty.

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This Week:
Steevie Jane Parks and Janet Place are working artists and co-chairs of the Chatham Artists Guild which hosts the Chatham Open Studio Tour. Steevie Jane Parks is an abstract painter who retired from a career as a Clinical Psychologist. For the first two weekends in December, Steevie will share Studio #9 with sculptor Louise Hobbs and offer for sale 30 new mixed media fabric collages. Steevie’s newest large format paintings are also on exhibit at 79 Degrees West in Chatham Park, and at the Art Above Main Gallery on South Main Street in Burlington.  www.steeviejaneparks.com/Current-Paintings/

Janet Place is a glass artist, singer/songwriter, and public health professional. Her personal journey into fused (or warm) glass began during the pandemic. What started as a hobby soon became an obsession. After relocating to SC for a job, she returned to Chatham in 2022 to be part of the vibrant art and music scene, and because she and her husband love the area. Her glass influences are Murano glass from Italy and retro/ MCM style from her upbringing. You can see her work and learn more at www.janetplaceglassdesigns.com

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This Week: 

Voted ‘Best Real Estate Agent’ twice in Winston Salem and proudly holding the title of trophy husband and arm candy for 20 years, John McPherson has worked at Coldwell Banker Advantage since 2003. John leads the MKT Real Estate Group team, is a licensed General Contractor, and is currently serving as NC REALTORS® President-Elect for 2024. He’s mastered the art of juggling the correct compensation form, buyer agency, hosting Camel City Chat a YouTube channel that explores Winston-Salem’s and NCs local scenes, and telling dad jokes without missing a beat. When he’s not traveling across the state meeting every Realtor he can, John crafts custom sneakers and perfects his woodworking skills. John is based in Clemmons, NC.

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Tyler Bryant, as President & CEO of the Chatham Chamber of Commerce, champions the Chamber’s mission of promoting visibility, advocacy, and economic vitality for a more prosperous community. With a focus on innovative communication and strategic partnerships, Tyler has significantly contributed to the Chamber’s role as a driving force for growth in North Carolina’s fastest-growing region. His ‘outsider’ perspective has enabled him to introduce fresh ideas and initiatives that align with the evolving needs of local businesses and the community. The Chamber has nearly 500 active members and continues to grow each day.

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This Week: 
LeVon Barnes is running for election to the North Carolina House of Representatives to represent District 64 in Alamance. LeVon Barnes brings two decades of real world experience as a public school teacher, a mentor, a basketball coach, and a proud girl dad. His empathy, conviction and willingness to build connections defines his philosophy as well as his approach to running for State House. LeVon has always believed in being “a sponge” and paying it forward to the next generation. From pursuing a career in education LeVon is even more committed to ensuring better futures for all who live in Alamance County.

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This Week:
Wiley Nickel is a father, husband, attorney, former state senator, and current U.S. representative for North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District. He has dedicated his life to public service. His commitment to serving the community was shaped early on when he experienced a family health crisis and lost his father to lung cancer. Wiley worked in two White House administrations, including with President Obama, gaining insights into coalition-building and effective governance. He has fought passionately for voting rights, quality education, and reproductive health care. After redistricting in 2023, Wiley’s seat was gerrymandered, but he remains committed to ending partisan gerrymandering and ensuring every voter in North Carolina, and across the country, has a voice.

Born into a blue collar and agricultural clan in rural Pennsylvania, Jim Crawford was the first in his family to graduate from college. Earning his PhD from UNC, he taught US and World History at several universities in piedmont North Carolina for several decades. He served as chairman of the Chatham County board of commissioners, and currently serves as trustee for Central Carolina Community College. He is a firm believer in American democracy and trusts that the constitution will hold firm now as it has in past crises despite the broken, distempered electorate.

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This Week: 
Alphecca Muttardy is a Professional Macroeconomist and former Senior Economist, International Monetary Fund. Chief economic adviser Coalition for a National Infrastructure Bank. Testified in numerous state legislatures, City and County Councils (i.e. Chicago, New York, etc.) and organizations, National Association of Counties, National Association of Development Organizations, Council of State Governments East Region, etc.  Expert macroeconomic assessment of the United States economy, including the development of a major policy initiative to finance unmet infrastructure needs while promoting job creation and economic growth. Resides in Fairfax County, Va.

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Steve Sandeep Rao, a native of Charleston, WV, serves as an At Large Council Member for the Town of Morrisville and served as Mayor Pro Tem from 2015-2017. He served as a Senior Business Development Executive at Alphanumeric Systems, a global tech company headquartered in Raleigh from January 2011 to May 2020 and now serves as Of Counsel and Adviser to State Federal Strategies, where he advises Technology Companies on State and Local Government Business Development Strategy. Council Member Rao is the longest serving Asian-American elected official in NC.

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