news-record.com

Until November, Shirley and Noscoe Wright used to take a shortcut through their neighborhood to get to their Dunbar Street home.

Now, they make it a point to drive down Tuscaloosa Street to see the Adopt-A-Street sign that bears the name of their slain grandson, Darien Christopher Wright. "I always throw him a kiss when I ride by," Shirley Wright said.

Darien Wright was shot to death in July 2006. Last year, after his killer was sent to prison, Shirley Wright wrote to a city employee in an effort to have Tuscaloosa Street adopted in memory of her grandson.

"He called me the day before the elections and said we'll get (the sign) up," Shirley Wright said about her phone call from Leo Cheek.

Cheek is the section supervisor of right of way and maintenance for the city of Greensboro.

Shirley Wright said Cheek helped her get through the challenging process of adopting the street.

"At first, it wasn't on the list of streets that could be adopted," she said.

Then, Cheek stepped in to help her along.

"I had to check it out to make sure it met the criteria to be adopted," Cheek said. "I didn't have to do anything special, I was just doing my job."

Now that the street has been adopted in Darien Wright's memory, Shirley Wright and her friends who volunteered to help her will be responsible for picking up litter on the street at least once per quarter, Cheek said.

Cheek "just doing his job" meant a lot to the Wrights.

"Darien was just special to us," Shirley Wright said. "He was my heart."

Anyone interested in adopting a street should call the city's Field Operations Department at 373-2489 or visit www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/fieldops/adoptstreet/.

Contact Tiffany S. Jones at 373- 7157 or tiffany.jones@news-record.com