[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6645755,"mediaKeyId","3585337-1e6cac277d1f006eab195da0d32271de","parentId",3585337,"title","Kernersville officials say crash-triggered electrical event caused downtown fire; multiple agencies assisted","audioSeconds",420,"startMs",969000,"endMs",1389000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3585337-1e6cac277d1f006eab195da0d32271de&start=969&end=1389","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3585337-1e6cac277d1f006eab195da0d32271de/thumbnail_969000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6645755/North-Carolina/Kernersville-officials-say-crash-triggered-electrical-event-caused-downtown-fire-multiple-agencies-assisted","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6645755-fd8ba1522c49943db1d408756c356415/orig.mp4?Expires=1770946831&Signature=lxP1rWQMuUxHdlidCXFE6JwQ9bhszHXVfuhkGh0N-hUc7DnLg1ejN3S3N377D3bFw2~U5PvCSURa3eDU0xAGRoALGY1aIXFus7we-ZGF1cD3wJlvy6SCR6mUVzTqFWGBX66Eln9Ys06u6u29s8nZ67daP~eIDG3E45Ny2WltvjFXoorYx8ZfKtEOGUape2HNuJH339PjM3lx1uzVIVXp~~dDONu85-pO3w4H3dYLgSJ06Bkb0A3qEaflqUv0TlVfVKs86at96r5~17yEwtYlgIr3YLWS1slz4lBMGwjcTCdPJSQz4zyJ4pfx5PB05NFEJfgC4D~v~v~UwM4YsJkyEQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kernersville","date","2025-05-29T13:04:51Z","article","Kernersville officials on May 28 reported that a recent large fire at a Colorado Electric facility began when a motor vehicle crashed into a utility pole, triggering what the town's fire marshal called a \"catastrophic electrical event,\" and they praised local and mutual-aid crews for preventing spread to adjacent properties.

A town speaker who identified himself as a fire official told the Board of Aldermen that the department's investigation, with verification help from the North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal and electrical engineers, concluded the fire was caused by a vehicle impacting a utility pole and nearby power lines. \"They have finished their investigation, and they have determined that there was a catastrophic, electrical event that occurred as a result of motor vehicle crash that impacted utility pole and power lines that were in the area,\" the official said.

Town leaders publicly thanked Kernersville Fire Rescue and the many departments and agencies that assisted on scene, including Winston-Salem Fire Department, Forsyth County Fire & EMS, Beeson's Crossroads Fire Department, Piney Grove Fire Department, Oak Ridge Fire Department, Union Cross Fire Department, Walkertown Fire Department, Greensboro Fire Department and others that backfilled stations while crews were concentrated at the incident. Officials also recognized help from the town's police department, public services personnel, and the county 911 center for coordinating dispatch.

Mayor and board members rose to give a standing ovation for the fire and police personnel. One board member asked the aldermen and the public to recognize the response as \"an extraordinary marshaling of the resources of this community.\" A resident who viewed the scene described it as \"one of the craziest things\" he had seen and commended first responders for their performance.

Why this matters: Town officials said the response not only extinguished the fire but limited the incident's impact on surrounding properties, and the board took the occasion to acknowledge mutual-aid relationships and the work of multiple departments. The public update also sought to correct community speculation about the fire's cause by releasing the fire marshal's finding.

What the board recorded: The board heard the update at the start of its session and did not take further formal action on the incident during the meeting. Officials said the fire marshal's written press release and the state office's verification were completed prior to the meeting.

Ending note: Board members asked staff to share appreciation with all departments and partners involved in the response.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Town of Kernersville Board of Aldermen Regular Meeting, May 28th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Town officials praised the fire-rescue response to a large Saturday fire at Colorado Electric and said the town's fire marshal concluded the fire began with a catastrophic electrical event after a motor vehicle struck a utility pole. The board gave an ovation to emergency responders and thanked mutual-aid partners.","taxTitle","Town of Kernersville, Forsyth County, North Carolina","taxId",51115,"location","North Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6645758,"Kernersville to study sign-ordinance changes after mural festival sponsors withdraw",1326,1454000,2780000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3585337-1e6cac277d1f006eab195da0d32271de&start=1454&end=2780","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3585337-1e6cac277d1f006eab195da0d32271de/thumbnail_1454000.jpg","/articles/6645758/North-Carolina/Kernersville-to-study-sign-ordinance-changes-after-mural-festival-sponsors-withdraw","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6645758-914331f44c18aeaf764c6d2705578dd4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770946831&Signature=U1BJt1-tXgNFJ-vlsJHDqlRoBi5fAQVU~pJQ3-lDJ0-jZXncWT~k2z6fNYgzpSlOQyPxV9O156M58kJnC6raDgFqsfcu-E3HmHE-RAJeheil-M1uLT0JBaN67dtrV6WOnjnS4xkEk5F4jMubfdO4nqPhJvNa6nIpt9wyuUte4oa~I5ojMOdJO3SOR0060pu5-Ra1-Zhqmnh2I~stppKhZ0yGSZIuIbhHLuaSHs4rCzagSvgUY~Jk6Mh1IANONAD4HSXaI29sfvrz7tzUfZiSUACRmHGNcvd0mBnXHm2EFIcah55PNbLYinwzaYw5AEG3FS9hhKxpOztk8myYrMU9yQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kernersville Board of Aldermen members on May 28 directed town staff to research whether and how the town could allow small \"sponsored by\" placards on public murals after organizers said businesses had withdrawn $17,000 in pledged funding when told the plaques would be treated as off-premise signage under the town's sign ordinance.

The request came from Christina Parrish, who identified herself as a former educator and a full-time mural artist organizing the Kernersville Mural Festival featuring Ladies Who Paint. Parrish told the board she had raised private funds through the Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County as fiscal sponsor and had committed to paying artists directly for murals planned downtown. She said several business sponsors withdrew when told their names or logos could not appear on small donor placards next to painted walls.

Parrish said the project had 44 artist applications and about 15 potential wall locations and that she had planned sponsorship levels including a bronze package at $1,500. \"The majority of that money goes directly into the hands of the artists that are executing the murals,\" Parrish said, and she added the Arts Council will take a 5% fiscal-sponsorship fee. She told the board that sponsors pulling back represented roughly $17,000 in retracted funding and that, personally, she was about $2,700 in the red after covering costs for murals whose sponsors withdrew.

Town staff told the board that adding a small placard next to a mural would be classified as off-premise signage under the town's sign ordinance and Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). \"If we allow one, someone will come up and say, 'well, I want to put one on the side of a wall that doesn't have a mural on it,'\" said Curtis Swisher (staff member), describing the legal risk of treating similar signs differently. Swisher and other staff said changing the ordinance to permit mural placards would require careful drafting to avoid content-based or arbitrary-and-capricious claims and likely outside legal review.

Staff estimated outside counsel familiar with the sign ordinance could charge roughly $650'$700 per hour; Swisher said a comprehensive review could require on the order of 50 hours and cited a notional cost of about $35,000 to $36,000. The board discussed other options: (1) proceed without sponsor names on murals, (2) have the town fund public art directly so sponsor placards are unnecessary, or (3) pursue a text amendment to the UDO with planning-board review and legal review.

Several residents and business leaders spoke in favor of allowing tasteful sponsor recognition. Bruce Frankel, who noted his ties to the chamber of commerce, argued that murals drive foot traffic and help downtown businesses. Aldermen asked staff to review how other municipalities handle sponsored murals and whether a public-art policy or ordinance could allow limited sponsor attribution without running afoul of existing sign rules.

Motion and next steps: Mayor Pro Tem Chris Thompson moved, and Alderman J.R. Gorham seconded, a motion directing staff to research options and return with recommendations; the motion passed unanimously. Staff said they would research municipal examples and legal options and aim to return with a recommendation at the board's August 5 meeting. In the interim, organizers may continue to paint murals that comply with existing sign and overlay regulations, but staff warned that placing sponsor logos or other elements that violate the sign ordinance could expose the property owner to notices of violation and possible fines.

Parrish also clarified contract and funding details in response to questions: artists are to be paid directly from festival fundraising, the Arts Council receives 5% as fiscal sponsor, individual mural costs were described in her presentation as ranging approximately from $2,300 to $8,400 depending on size, and artists are being paid about $35 per square foot. Wall donors (property owners who allow murals) sign a contract requiring the mural be left in place for at least two years.

Why this matters: The discussion tied creative placemaking to downtown economic development and donor recognition. Organizers say sponsor attribution is a critical incentive for private contributions; staff say permitting exceptions to the sign ordinance without careful legal drafting could invite legal challenges. The board's direction gives staff 60-plus days to produce options for the council to consider.

What the board did next: The board's unanimous directive requires staff research and a return presentation at or before the August 5 meeting, with staff advising that a formal text amendment to the UDO would also require planning-board review and potential outside counsel review.

Ending note: Parrish said she would continue fundraising but that several businesses had pulled sponsorships because they wanted public recognition on or near the murals; she asked the town to resolve the matter before the festival's second phase in November 2025.","After business sponsors withdrew $17,000 from a downtown mural project because the town determined sponsor placards would be treated as off-premise signs, the Board of Aldermen unanimously directed staff to research options for allowing sponsor recognition and return with recommendations by the board's August meeting.","actionData","errors"]

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Kernersville officials say crash-triggered electrical event caused downtown fire; multiple agencies assisted

Kernersville to study sign-ordinance changes after mural festival sponsors withdraw