Beltway plan delayed by lawsuit puts retiree in a pickle

(By Scott Sexton, Winston-Salem Journal) - If you look back over John Baker's 75 years on this earth, you'd think he's earned the right to live out the rest of his life free of hassle.

He ran his own business, a plumbing company, from the 1960s until a few years back when his health started faltering and he had to turn it over to his son. He bought some property and built a nice house in 1980, a place he figured to call home forever.

All that time, he paid his taxes, wishing only to be left alone.

Then he crossed paths with the Northern Beltway.

He attended informational meetings and followed developments closely. He learned that his house and property would be in the right of way. Not one to stand in the way of progress, he submitted a request in 2006 for a buyout that was approved.

"I'm 75 years old. I've had three heart surgeries," Baker said. "All I wanted to do was get this taken care of and get my wife situated in case anything happened to me."

Something did happen, but not what he was planning for. A confluence of events ground the beltway project to a halt and left Baker in a financial morass that could ruin him.