Latest news with #Weddington
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Man hired to cut grass at $4.3m mansion instead throws massive party with hundreds of guests
A landscaper threw a wild party at his clients' jaw-dropping North Carolina mansion while they were on vacation - but he claims he did nothing wrong. Michael Brown, who runs Brown's Dream Team Landscaping, has previously mowed the lawn of a $4.3 million house in Weddington. But on Saturday afternoon, the 37-year-old had other plans at the ritzy residence - hosting a massive blowout without the owners' permission. Hundreds of guests - mostly teens and young adults - flocked to the mansion, each paying an entry fee that Brown pocketed, according to the Union County Sherriff's Office. With music blasting and cars clogging up the typically quiet street, baffled neighbors grew concerned and filed complaints. 'I was like, that's not a venue, how are they managing this, so, we were disturbed with all the traffic and the cars and the people and not knowing what's happening,' nearby resident Wendy Squires, told WBTV. Police arrived to shut down the illegal chaotic event and identified Brown as the ringleader. Brown allegedly claimed he was the homeowner and the party was a celebration for his son's graduation. But he was arrested after cops found 'holes' in his story. The party-throwing landscaper was charged with breaking and entering, second-degree trespassing, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, injury to real property and obtaining property by false pretenses. Brown posted his $10,000 bond later that day - and has shown no regret for hosting the event. 'I didn't break the law, I just broke some rules of probably what the owners didn't want me to do, but I didn't break the law,' Brown told WSOCTV9. He also admitted to throwing the party for his son and his friends for a profit. 'I just want to always do something where we could create an income and bring a positive environment for his friends,' he told the outlet. That 'positive environment,' according to Lieutenant James Maye, included 'a lot of underage drinking' among the 300 to 400 guests. Brown claimed he was not charging an 'entry fee' but making guests pay for security - a story cops are not buying, with Maye saying they recovered more than $3,000. 'The owner knew I was supposed to be there,' Brown claimed, later adding he's 'like their son' and is at there house nearly every day. He also expressed confidence that he did not lose a client over the matter. But the owners' son, Jante Burch, fiercely disputed those assertion. 'What I saw was a very egregious act in my mind. You had youth, they're smoking dope on my back porch, you're in the pool, you have violated,' Burch told WSOCTV9 after they spoke with Brown. 'I was very angry at the fact that this happened, I knew when I saw it that there was not way that my parents knew any of this.' The distressed son said his parent's stunning home was left a 'hot mess' and debunked Brown's sentiment that he has close ties with the family. 'Bro you cut the grass, you're the hired help so you were that for that reason, and that reason only,' he said. 'He's delusional, he is definitely delusional. In fact, not only has he lost a client, he's probably lost a lot of other clients that he had potentially gotten in that neighborhood.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Landscaper arrested after inviting hundreds to unauthorized party while homeowners away, cops say
A North Carolina landscaper was arrested after inviting hundreds of people to a party while the homeowners were on vacation, police said. Michael Brown is accused of inviting as many as 400 people to the house party in the Charlotte suburb of Weddington last Saturday night. 'He represented himself as the homeowner and said he was having a party,' Lieutenant James Maye of the Union County Sheriff's Office told WSOC. 'He was, in fact, not the homeowner, not related to the homeowner, but in fact was the yard guy.' Maye added that 'a lot of underage drinking' was going on at the party, which was shut down by the police after neighbors complained. Brown was arrested and charged with breaking and entering, second-degree trespassing, and obtaining property by false pretenses, among other charges. Police said that Brown 'charged each person attending the party an entry fee that he then pocketed' in a statement shared on Facebook. 'After several additional epic failures at telling the truth, he finally admitted he was the lawn guy and had no relation to the homeowners whatsoever,' the statement added. Brown was taken to the Union County Detention Center, where he was 'specifically told he was a guest at our Detention Center, not a resident, and ordered not to throw any parties in our phone cell while trying to secure a bonding company,' police jested in the statement. The landscaper posted a $10,000 secured bond and is no longer in police custody. He told WSOC that he disputed the version of events shared by the sheriff's office. Brown also told the news outlet that he was even planning to host another party and that he doesn't believe he has lost the client, who was still on vacation when the outlet interviewed the landscaper. 'I'm just waiting for them to come home, just so I can continue to build my relationship and we can move forward,' Brown said.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Man hired to mow lawn at ritzy North Carolina home throws massive party with hundreds of guests
A landscaper threw a wild party at his clients' jaw-dropping North Carolina mansion while they were on vacation - but he claims he did nothing wrong. Michael Brown, who runs Brown's Dream Team Landscaping, has previously mowed the lawn of a $4.3 million house in Weddington. But on Saturday afternoon, the 37-year-old had other plans at the ritzy residence - hosting a massive blowout without the owners' permission. Hundreds of guests - mostly teens and young adults - flocked to the mansion, each paying an entry fee that Brown pocketed, according to the Union County Sherriff's Office. With music blasting and cars clogging up the typically quiet street, baffled neighbors grew concerned and filed complaints. 'I was like, that's not a venue, how are they managing this, so, we were disturbed with all the traffic and the cars and the people and not knowing what's happening,' nearby resident Wendy Squires, told WBTV. Police arrived to shut down the illegal chaotic event and identified Brown as the ringleader. Brown allegedly claimed he was the homeowner and the party was a celebration for his son's graduation. But he was arrested after cops found 'holes' in his story. The party-throwing landscaper was charged with breaking and entering, second-degree trespassing, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, injury to real property and obtaining property by false pretenses. Brown posted his $10,000 bond later that day - and has shown no regret for hosting the rager. 'I didn't break the law, I just broke some rules of probably what the owners didn't want me to do, but I didn't break the law,' Brown told WSOCTV9. He also admitted to throwing the party for his son and his friends for a profit. 'I just want to always do something where we could create an income and bring a positive environment for his friends,' he told the outlet. That 'positive environment,' according to Lieutenant James Maye, included 'a lot of underage drinking' among the 300 to 400 guests. Brown claimed he was not charging an 'entry fee' but making guests pay for security - a story cops are not buying, with Maye saying they recovered more than $3,000. 'The owner knew I was supposed to be there,' Brown claimed, later adding he's 'like their son' and is at there house nearly every day. That 'positive environment,' according to Lieutenant James Maye (pictured), included 'a lot of underage drinking' among the 300 to 400 guests He also expressed confidence that he did not lose a client over the matter. But the owners' son, Jante Burch, fiercely disputed those assertion. 'What I saw was a very egregious act in my mind. You had youth, they're smoking dope on my back porch, you're in the pool, you have violated,' Burch told WSOCTV9 after they spoke with Brown. 'I was very angry at the fact that this happened, I knew when I saw it that there was not way that my parents knew any of this.' The distressed son said his parent's stunning home was left a 'hot mess' and debunked Brown's sentiment that he has close ties with the family. 'Bro you cut the grass, you're the hired help so you were that for that reason, and that reason only,' he said. 'He's delusional, he is definitely delusional. In fact, not only has he lost a client, he's probably lost a lot of other clients that he had potentially gotten in that neighborhood.'
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Program teaches Columbus students conflict resolution without violence
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A program in some Columbus City Schools buildings is educating students on nonviolent conflict resolution. Throughout May, many students are graduating from the Guns DOWN Program after meeting weekly for the entire school year. Fifteen seventh graders from Champion Middle School celebrated their graduation on Monday with certificates and a dance party for the whole grade. $250 million facility opens down the road from Intel in New Albany, creating 225 jobs It was an important milestone after their hard work and dedication to the program. 'Within our curriculum, we're talking about alternatives to violence. We're learning about how to be a good steward of your community,' Carlton Weddington, a leader with Champion's Guns DOWN program, said. Weddington used to be an Ohio state representative until he was arrested for bribery and spent more than two years in prison. 'Now I'm trying to help young people to make good decisions so they don't fall in some of the mistakes that I had,' Weddington said. Leaders said the main goal of Guns DOWN is to show students that violence is not the only option and to open them up to healthy conflict resolution. Seventh grader Alhassane Sy said the lessons from the program will stick with him as he heads into eighth grade. 'I learned how to be a leader,' Sy said. 'Other people should join this program and learn how to just stop the violence.' South-Western City School board joins groups denouncing gender identity, DEI and non-English languages Students take the Guns DOWN Program pledge which says they will build confidence, foster connections and create a bright future. Weddington said all 15 Champion Middle School graduates succeeded in doing just that. 'We want young people to take a different direction than choosing violence,' he said. 'On choosing peace, choosing leadership, choosing to improve themselves or choosing to improve their community.' On Saturday, May 24, there will be a Guns DOWN Summit that community members ages 14 to 24 can attend to learn more about the program and violence prevention. It's happening from 10a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Community Impact Center. For more information, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
