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Dropouts cut jobless count — Page 7A Sports
Duke upended No. 6 Duke was dropped in the ACC opener on Saturday by No. 20 Georgia Tech
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Sunday, January 10, 2010, Forest City, N.C.
Hospital adapting to tough economy
NATION
By SCOTT BAUGHMAN Daily Courier Staff Writer
Small investors shunning stock markets
through Jan. 15, said Dr. John Mark Bennett, RCS board chair. This isn’t the first time the board has asked for input on hiring a superintendent, Bennett said, but it is the first time a survey has been available to the public online. Local advisory councils for each school were also asked to submit a letter to the board with their thoughts. It’s also the first time the board has set aside a special time for the public to share their thoughts on what they’d like to see in the system’s leader. The public is invited to
RUTHERFORDTON — With an eye toward saving money and a response to the ongoing recession, Rutherford Hospital officials have tried to adapt the organization’s finances and respond to the growing number of patients unable to pay their bills. “Like most hospitals around the country, we are seeing many people put off or delay having elective procedures, for example, that would impact volume and revenue,” said hospital CEO David Bixler. “Conversely, we continue to serve a great number of those who are unable to pay or those who utilize Medicaid and Medicare. Together, these scenarios make it challenging to meet financial goals because those who are self-pay patients are waiting for the economy to make a turn for the best before incurring healthcare expenses.” Not all of the hospital’s changes were done in direct response to the economy, some were slated to come online anyway. The plan to try and collect some or all of a payment up front, before treatment, is one example of a recent change that had been planned for some time. “Changes to the way we collect payments were already planned because the healthcare industry has adopted a model of collecting co-pays or partial payment at the time of service when possible,” Bixler said. “Most every hospital
Please see Board, Page 6A
Please see Hospital, Page 2A
Page 7A
SPORTS
Photo illustration by Garrett Byers
NC State falls in ACC opener with Virginia Page 1B
GAS PRICES
Low: High: Avg.:
$2.61 $2.69 $2.65
DEATHS Forest City
Horace Humphries Orson Cole Henrietta Jimmy Fowler Rutherfordton Durham Chapman Elsewhere Linwood King Page 5A
WEATHER
High
Low
36 14 Today, sunny. Tonight, clear. Complete forecast, Page 10A
INSIDE Classifieds . . . 5-7B Sports . . . B Section County scene . . . 6A Opinion . . . . . . . 4A Vol. 42, No. 9
Board wants public input on superintendent search By ALLISON FLYNN Daily Courier Staff Writer
FOREST CITY – What qualities would you like to see in the next superintendent of Rutherford County Schools? The RCS Board of Education is seeking the public’s input as it moves forward in selecting a new superintendent to lead the system. Dr. John Kinlaw, who has served as superintendent of Rutherford County Schools since July 2006, announced in November that he would not seek to renew his contract when it runs out in June. The system began taking applications for the position in December and will do so
Salvation Army seeks a new site By JEAN GORDON Daily Courier Staff Writer
FOREST CITY — The Salvation Army Thrift Store is moving from its Withrow Road location in the near future as smaller alternate locations are being considered. Officials hope to have a new facility for the Thrift Store ready as quickly as possible. “The Salvation Army remains in good standing as a tenant,” said Sgt. Ann Bennett, director of the Cleveland/Rutherfordton Salvation Army, “It is simply more space than necessary.” “The Salvation Army has every intention of remaining in Rutherford County and has no plans to reduce the work force associated with the Family (Thrift) Store,” Bennett said. “The Salvation Army is committed to the people of Rutherford County, the dedicated staff and to fighting need at every level.” The thrift store is an instrumental source of funding for community assistance programs and Salvation Army officials believe by reducing the overhead, “We can provide more services to the public.” “And with each dollar donated to the Salvation Army, we strive to achieve maximum efficiency with the operation of our Family Store retail centers .... As a result of this focus, we continually evaluate our operations to identify opportunities for cost reduction, which in Please see Site, Page 6A
Strength Team member Andy Gavin, to demonstrate a steel bar was real, lifts Cliffside Elementary students Luke Alexander and Luke Stephens into the air during an assembly on choices held at the school Friday afternoon. The Strength Team will also hold a demonstration tonight at 7 at Adaville Baptist Church.
Garrett Byers/ Daily Courier
Strength Team makes points By ALLISON FLYNN Daily Courier Staff Writer
CLIFFSIDE — Bending a steel bar with his bare hands, Andy Gavin captured the attention of students at Cliffside Elementary Friday afternoon. Gavin is a member of the Strength Team, a ministry that presents demonstrations of strength along with a message of God’s love. During its school assemblies, the Strength
Now on the Web: www.thedigitalcourier.com
Team provides motivational and educational speeches along with tests of might. The team began the assembly by telling students what physical feats they would see during the presentation. “You’ll see us break a wooden ball bat – you’ve probably seen baseball players get mad when they strike out and raise a bat Please see Strength, Page 6A
2A — The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010
Local HEY, BUDDY .... IT’S COLD OUT HERE
Photos courtesy Robert Watkins
When Robert Watkins’ wild “pet” turkey Thomas showed up at this sliding glass doors Friday morning, there was one thing certain, the turkey was cold. Watkins said he has been feeding the turkey two weeks in the yard of his E. Main Street, Forest City, home and was surprised when he pecked at the glass doors. Brad Boris, supervisor of the Broad River Water Plant, said temperatures were at 20 degrees Friday morning. Rutherford County has experienced the coldest five-day period in the 10-years since Broad River Water Authority has been collecting temperature data. Low temperatures were between 9 and 13 degrees, Monday through Thursday.
Arts Council sets auditions FOREST CITY — Rutherford County Arts Council has announced auditions for the Spring musical production, “Joseph, and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Auditions will be held at Arts Council Headquarters at Globe Park in Alexander Mills. General/chorus auditions will be held Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. and auditions for soloists will be held Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. The production is scheduled for March 20 at The Foundation. “Joseph, and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” the second musical by the team of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim rice, is based on the story of Joseph from the Bible’s Book of Genesis. Roles include Joseph and his 11 brothers, Jacob, Narrator, Pharoah, Potiphar, Mrs. Potiphar, and others. The show also features a large choir, with numerous special ensembles. The auditions are open to all ages and no previous experience is necessary.
Garrett Byers/Daily Courier
Debra Collazo, RHI patient liaison, helps Emergency Department patients get treated more quickly through a new process initiated this past year at the hospital.
Hospital Continued from Page 1A
in our region has implemented the same process. The process actually should be beneficial to patients because it allows our patient financial services staff to work out payment plans for patients. This often allows patients to set up payments in a more structured and timely manner.” The organization has had to make cuts. “Perhaps most noticeable would be the closing of Rutherford East Pharmacy in Mooresboro and the Rutherford Plastic Surgery practice,” Bixler said. “There is constant evaluation of expenses versus revenue produced and sometimes very difficult decisions have to be made.” Bixler pointed to three major changes that were benefits of streamlining the budgeting and operations process: n a new Emergency Department process now allows patients to be seen more quickly without so much time spent in the waiting area; patient satisfaction scores have shown hospital administration that this improvement has been well-received; n a new electronic EKG process required a few new pieces of equipment but it has allowed the hospital to produced EKG results in a more timely and accurate fashion; n new physicians have been recruited to support service lines like psychiatry, neurology, cardiology, emergency room, OB/GYN and podiatry. “As we’ve stated many times before, our philosophy is to continually audit our processes, policies and procedures on an ongoing basis and to identify areas where we can improve,” Bixler said. “That philosophy has served us well for many years as indicated by earning the Thomson Reuters Top 100 Hospital award four years in a row. Part of that distinction is earned by managing finances responsibly and wisely.” Contact Baughman via e-mail at sbaughman@thedigitalcourier.com.
The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010 — 3A
Local/State
Company says state unfair
Police Notes Sheriff’s Reports
n The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office responded to 143 E-911 calls Friday.
Rutherfordton
n The Rutherfordton Police Department responded to 38 E-911 calls Friday.
Spindale
n The Spindale Police Department responded to 21 E-911 Friday.
Lake Lure
n The Lake Lure Police Department responded to eight E-911 calls Friday.
Forest City
n The Forest City Police Department responded to five E-911 calls Friday.
Arrests
n Thad Martin Causby Jr., 34, of 108 Flagger; charged with driving while impaired; freed on a custody release. (DMV) n Preston Dean Hamilton, 22, of 408 E. Main St.; charged with assault inflicting serious injury; placed under a $5,000 secured bond. (FCPD)
n Demurice Tyrone Abrams, 22, of 703 Academy St.; charged with two counts of misdemeanor probation violation; placed under a $10,000 secured bond. (Probation) n Christopher Delane Greene, 42, of 384 Wallace Rd.; charged with assault inflicting serious injury and communicating threats; placed under a 48-hour hold. (RCSD) n Holly Renee Laughter, 22, of 538 High Shoals Church Rd.; charged with shoplifting/ concealment of goods and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile; placed under a $1,200 secured bond. (RCSD)
n Dawn Hutchins Wilson, 34, of 538 High Shoals Church Rd.; charged with shoplifting/ concealment of goods, two counts of failure to appear and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile; placed under a $3,200 secured bond. (RCSD) n Christopher Devon Calvin Carson, 28, of 122 Mills Creek Rd.; charged with two counts of violation of a court order; released on a $2,000 unsecured bond. (RCSD) n Colt Austin Houser, 18, of 112 Fern Brook Hollow; charged with injury to personal property; placed under a $1,000 secured bond. (RCSD) n Jason Daniel Corn, 25, of 3871 Painter Gap Rd.; charged with failure to appear, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of communicating threats, assault on a female and resisting a public officer; placed under a 48-hour hold and a $5,000 secured bond. (RCSD) n Billy Jack Greene, 27, of 276 Andy Drive; charged with cyberstalking and injury to personal property; placed under a $1,500 secured bond. (RCSD) n Micki Lynn McSwain, 42, of 136 Garden Gate Drive; charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, simple possession of schedule VI controlled substance and possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver methamphetamine; no bond listed. (RCSD) n Jena Marie Metcalf, 18, of 225 Frog Creek Rd.; charged with consume alcohol by less than 19; released on a $500 unsecured bond. (RCSD) n Lindsey Carolina Carr, 19, of 164 South Ridgecrest Ave.; charged with consume alcohol by 19/20; freed on a $500 unsecured bond. (RCSD) n Sarah Jacqueline Hahn, 19, of 170 Old Ross Rd.; charged with consume alcohol by 19/20; freed on a $500 unsecured bond. (RCSD) Michaela Rayelynn Baynard, 19, of 386 Tanners Grove Rd.; charged with
consume alcohol by 19/20; freed on a $500 unsecured bond. (RCSD) n Matthew Dillon Oliver, 19, of Coopertown Rd.; charged with consume alcohol by 19/20; freed on a $500 unsecured bond. (RCSD) n Caleb Ricky Thomas, 17, of 164 Spencer St.; charged with local ordinance consume beer/ wine underage; released on a $500 unsecured bond. (RCSD) n Kenneth Wade Dotson, 18, of 1021 Hollis Rd.; charged with consume alcohol by 19/20; freed on a $500 unsecured bond. (RCSD) n Joseph Trent Waters, 17, of 209 N.C. 120; charged with local ordinance consume beer/ wine underage; released on a $500 unsecured bond. (RCSD) n Jeffrey Thomas Avolese, 20, of 191 Green Meadows Drive; charged with consume alcohol by 19/20; freed on a $500 unsecured bond. (RCSD) n Jeremy Michael Allen, 20, of 262 Kanipe Ranch Rd.; charged with consume alcohol by 19/20; freed on a $500 unsecured bond. (RCSD) n James Tyler Bailey, 20, of 574 Old Wagy Rd.; charged with consume alcohol by 19/20; freed on a $500 unsecured bond. (RCSD) n Brittany Leann Carson, 19, of 1056 Old U.S. 74; charged with consume alcohol by 19/20; freed on a $500 unsecured bond. (RCSD) n Robert Wayne Suttle, 19, of 108 Plum Creek Rd.; charged with consume alcohol by 19/20, resisting a public officer and assault on a government official/ employee; freed on a $500 unsecured bond. (RCSD) n Stephen Derek Holland, 22, of 305 McKee Rd.; charged with 13 counts of local ordinance aid and abet underage consumption; no bond listed. (RCSD) n Glenn Curtis Searcy, 54, of 149 Reid St.; charged with indecent exposure; released on a $500 unsecured bond. (RCSD) n Ray Junior Jones, 66, of 2142 Cedar Creek Rd.; charged with second-degree trespassing; released on a $100 unsecured bond. (RCSD) n Jeffery Wayne Wright, 39, of 1918 N.C. 120; charged with breaking and/ or entering, larceny after break/enter, injure building/ fence/ wall and communicating threats; placed under a $1,600 secured bond. (RCSD)
RALEIGH (AP) — A Texas company that makes machines used to test the sobriety of convicted drunken drivers before they start their cars says it is being unfairly shut out of doing business in North Carolina, multiple media outlets reported Saturday. Smart Start Inc. of Irvine, Texas, makes ignition interlock devices, which prevent drivers from starting the ignition until a breath analyzer clears them as sober. The company filed a lawsuit Friday at North Carolina’s Office of Administrative Hearings, accusing the Division of Motor Vehicles of unfairly blocking its attempts to win the state’s contract for the devices. “All my client wants is a fair playing field and a chance to compete in North Carolina,” said Daniel Boyce, a Raleigh lawyer representing the com-
Autumn Care Rehab Wonder December 2009
Vangie Vandyke
Pictured: June Stephens, LPTA, Vangie Vandyke, Patient, Sheila Webb, COTA/L
Vangie Vandyke returned to Autumn Care in November with weakness and was unable to come to sitting or stand. She was determined to get better and kept a positive attitude throughout her time here. She is now ready to “graduate” and is able to come to standing with help, take care of her daily activities with limited assist and to walk with a walker and contact assist. Mrs. Vandyke has been married to husband for 65 years. They have 3 children -1 boy and 2 girls. She enjoys watching TV and enjoys being outside. When she was younger, she enjoyed babysitting and doing housework. She attended Fairview Church and enjoyed going as long as she was able to go. She also likes to pray for everybody. Of Autumn Care she says, “It’s been good and I enjoyed this program. I hate to give it up, but maybe I’ll be able to do it again later. Thanks to everybody who has helped me in this program. I hope all of you will remember me.” She also wanted to say of Dr. Whitworth, “I’ll always remember him. He brought me to Autumn Care and set me down and said I’d have a home and place to sleep and eat the rest of my life if I wanted to. I love all of you and will never forget you.” Congratulations, Vangie on your progress in Therapy and being chosen as Autumn Care’s Rehab Wonder of December, 2009. We will miss you smiling face and determination to improve. Best of luck to you.
n Charles Emanuel Simpson, 39, of 928 Oakland Rd.; charged with driving while impaired and possession of an open container/ consume alcohol in the passenger area of a motor vehicle; released on a $1,000 unsecured bond. (SPD) n Lechia Lynn Moody, 46, of 108 Wyoming St.; charged with disorderly conduct in public building or facility; placed under a $500 secured bond. (SPD)
Join our family, and we’ll take care of yours.
EMS/Rescue n The Rutherford County EMS responded to 23 E-911 calls Friday. n The Volunteer Life Saving and Rescue, Hickory Nut Gorge EMS and Rutherford County Rescue responded to eight E-911 calls Friday.
John Kilby
Wade Flack
David Robbins
David Biggerstaff
Joe Freeman
Michael Bailey
Joe Ruppe
JR Blanton
Tim Turner
Toby Maxwell
Agency Manager
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Fire Calls n Forest City firefighters responded to a motor vehicle accident. n Rutherfordton firefighters responded to a motor vehicle accident. n Sandy Mush firefighters responded to a house fire, assisted by Cliffside and SDO firefighters. n Spindale firefighters responded to a motor vehicle accident and to an industrial fire alarm.
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Correction The charge against Jamie Rose Randolph, 30, of 625 N. Main St., Rutherfordton, in the police notes on Saturday was incorrect. She was charged with driving while license revoked. She was not charged with driving while impaired.
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pany. North Carolina began requiring the devices for some offenders in 1989, and Morrisville-based Monitech has held the contract to sell them ever since. As of Jan. 1, nearly 8,000 North Carolina drivers were required to use ignition interlocks, according to the DMV. Smart Start, which does business in 40 states, says it has been trying to do business in North Carolina since 2001. According to court documents, Smart Start was told last year that its product didn’t meet state or federal guidelines to compete for the contract — contradicting what Smart Start says North Carolina officials told them two years earlier. The lawsuit also says the DMV’s selection process requires patents that give Monitech an unfair advantage to win the state business.
An independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association North Carolina Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. Farm Bureau Insurance of North Carolina, Inc. Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Co., Jackson, MS
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4A — The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010 ■ A daily forum for opinion, commentary and editorials on the news that affects us all.
Jodi V. Brookshire/ publisher Steven E. Parham/ executive editor 601 Oak Street, P.O. Box 1149, Forest City, N.C. 28043 Phone: 245-6431 Fax: 248-2790
E-mail: dailycourier@thedigitalcourier.com
Our Views Celebrity does not make heroes
A
merica’s fascination with celebrity has long been a cause of consternation for many and the costs of using celebrity to market products has recently hit home to several major corporations. With Tiger Woods fall from grace, some of the biggest corporations in the world took major hits. It didn’t take several of them long to drop the one-time darling of the mass media. On a bit smaller scale, North Carolina-based Hanesbrands has also had a celebrity incident recently. The Winston-Salem Company announced this week that it has ended its advertising campaign featuring television and movie star Charlie Sheen. Sheen was charged with domestic violence following an incident in Aspen, Colo., in which his wife claims he put a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her. What is clearly demonstrated in both these cases is that celebrity status does not make anyone a better human being. A better lesson might be for corporate America and the mass media to learn not to pander to cult of celebrity. There is a long — and not always positive — track record for the marketing of products with celebrity endorsements. Some years ago, there was a great uproar when it was discovered that the celebrities often did not use the products they were pitching. What we have not grasped in this country is the fact that celebrity does not give people special powers, nor does it make people immune to human frailty.
Liquor is a political kicker in N.C. RALEIGH — A little over a year ago, a group of legislative staffers concluded that the state’s system for controlling and selling liquor has become outdated and inefficient. Since then, North Carolinians have been hit over the head with a few other realities regarding the system: It pretty much operates in the shadows, the lines of authority are uneven, the potential for conflicts of interest is high. In New Hanover County, the entire local Alcohol Beverage Control board resigned amid revelations that the local ABC supervisor made $244,760 last year. Across the state, the average salary of a local ABC supervisor was $47,000. Officials initially resisted handing over the pay figures to the local newspaper. Wonder why? In Mecklenburg County, a liquor supplier treated local ABC officials to a $12,000 party in November. The tab included 10 shots of Don Julio Real tequila at $600. In all, the 32 folks attending threw down 71 mixed drinks, 11 beers and 14 bottles of wine. Guess they were familiarizing themselves with the product line. These little indiscretions have focused state policymakers’ attention on the patchwork of state and local control that is
Today in North Carolina Scott Mooneyham
North Carolina’s ABC system. The new chairman of the state ABC Commission, Jon Williams, agrees that the time has come for laws governing alcohol control and sales to be revamped. Gov. Beverly Perdue says she is taking a look. That group of legislative staffers, called the Program Evaluation Division, has already done the leg work. It’s put together a 75-page report detailing the troubles in a system where the state controls liquor pricing and local boards own and operate package stores. The report recommends giving the state ABC Commission more authority to eliminate inefficient operations and merge local boards The Program Evaluation Division is an odd duck. Operating in an overtly political realm, it tries to eliminate political considerations from its reviews. But some legislators see the recommendations as impractical. These legislators, after all, would
be left with the political fallout of local officials angry about losing control of liquor profits and jobs. In reality, the report’s recommendations don’t go far enough to remove political considerations. The system of governmentowned and run liquor stores is itself outdated. North Carolina is one of only five states where retail sales are handled exclusively by government-owned stores. Thirty-two states put liquor sales exclusively in the hands of the private sector. Private sales here wouldn’t mean that local communities would lose the ability to decide whether or not alcohol, in all its forms, could be sold. It wouldn’t mean reinventing the wheel. The state already has a highlyregulated system of beer and wine sales, but the product stays in the hands of the private sector. The reality is, though, that putting the business in the hands of business would cost local governments money. Liquor sales generate $700 million in North Carolina each year. And so, plenty of people like to talk about less government. Then it starts interfering with their pocketbook or their political power base. Mooneyham is executive director of the Capitol Press Association.
The love of God can give brith to a fruitful life Many of us have walked previous paths in days gone by only to come to a spiritual dead end. Our choices have let us down and we find ourselves empty and frustrated. The way of the transgressor is truly hard, as the prophet spoke. It pains us deeply to see one walking a path of searching disobedience knowing that in the end there will be loss and pain. The old song from the past says,” Looking for love in all the wrong places.” That describes many who walk a hurtful path. It is our great privilege to help the suffering of the sorrowful, whether it is material or spiritual. Part of our battle in reaching out to help those in need is the problem of the relationship being merely superficial. It is the age-old problem of our not wanting to lay down the fig leaf and come forth to “bear all” spiritually. In other words, to become real in our faith to God and to one another requires nakedness, a revealing. The world needs, love sweet love, as the song says. It needs God’s love, a pure and holy love. I explain today’s musings with a common Biblical theme and imagery: barrenness. Barrenness is a curse, according to Scripture. This is true whether it be a barren landscape or womb. God’s promise to His chosen
Sunday Conversation Fr. Jonathan Lankford
people was the land would yield its fruit and the wombs of the women would yield its fruit as well. God even promised the cattle and sheep would also bring forth life. In other words, there would be no barrenness in anything or anyone. The Magnificat of Mary speaks of this in one sense; “and blessed be the fruit of thy womb (Jesus).” I could easily, here, outline other compelling reasons, using today’s theme, as to why abortion is an ungodly act but we shall stay our course. There are six prominent women in the Bible who were barren: 1. Sarah, Abraham’s wife, 2. Rebekah, Isaac’s wife, 3. Rachel, Jacob’s wife, 4. Manoah’s wife, then, 5. Hannah, Elkanah’s wife, 6. Elizabeth, Zechariah’s wife, the father of John the Baptist. The Virgin Mary, however, symbolizes the church impregnated with Godly seed from above, giving birth to the Messiah, as all Christians are to do spiritually. The Old Testament root
word for Mary is “Mara” meaning bitter. Her name symbolizes the whole creation bitter from sin yet that bitterness turned to joy with God’s life birthed within her. Christians, then, are those impregnated with a new nature, a God nature. St. Paul writes to the church of Galatia, “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.” Gal. 4:19. Paul likens the Christian to one who is to give birth. The Scriptures even tell us we are, “born again by incorruptible seed.” The salvation experience is also likened to birthing. Jesus said, “you must be born again.” Well how were you born the first time? The spiritual follows the same pattern. The way a child is conceived in the natural by a covenant established between a man and woman is a metaphor for how it is to work in the spiritual. That brings me to the central point here. For the spiritual barrenness of heart and soul to be overcome, there must be a covenant, a revealing, an impartation and then growth, in that order. Because of past hurt, pain, rejection and abuse there is a shying away from true intimacy. Remember, God overcame the barrenness of the six aforementioned
women and they conceived and brought forth. God is calling His bride to become intimate with Him. He first establishes covenant with us or marries us. That is what the Bible means when it says not to “take His name in vain.” He would later accuse His bride of spiritual adultery with idols. Secondly, as a married couple would do, nakedness is revealed. We now move into a deeper level of spiritual intimacy with God as we “reveal” who we really are and shed the superficiality and facades of life. We become spiritually “unclothed” before Him. Then, a Holy and eternal seed, whose name is Christ, is placed within us and the process of a new nature growing within us begins. Then, there is the process of time for growth as we wait for the nature to be fully formed and then begins what Isaiah calls the “travail of Zion.” Often we approach God with the same mindset the world approaches sexuality today. There is a perversion of sexuality in that it seeks pleasure with no responsibility. In other words, I want to be intimate with you, but I will not marry you or commit to you. One wants the pleasure of sex without marriage. Often God is
approached with a mindset that says I want what you have but I don’t want to be responsible or committed to you. It’s a pleasure without commitment syndrome. When God approaches His bride it is but for one purpose: the loving impartation of holy seed and to birth the nature of His Son. Interestingly, the Devil is called the “father of lies,” indicating he has seed and the ability to reproduce himself. He also seeks to be intimate with the end result being death not life. The creation will one day understand that intimacy with the “devil” will bring forth nothing but death. On the other hand, spiritual intimacy with a Holy God will bring forth life and peace. God is calling His bride to reveal herself and certainly not fear an intimate encounter with her lover. God is faithful to His bride and He is committed in bringing forth His nature through her. We are never hurt in loving Him with our whole heart, mind and strength. Barrenness was unacceptable then and now. When all else has failed and the endless pursuit for love has ended in disappointment, the Lord offers us a holy, loving embrace and a heavenly kiss that lasts forever. Love never fails.
The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010
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5A
Local/Obituaries/State
Obituaries
PET OF THE WEEK
Jimmy Fowler Jimmy “Godfrey” Fowler, 61, of Henrietta, died Friday, Jan. 8, 2010, at Hospice House. He was born June 16, 1948, in Rutherford County to the late Ed Fowler and Ethel Blackwell Fowler. He was a warp technician at Cone Mills for more than 20 years and also worked as a security guard for Reeves Brothers Security for 10 years. He was an Army veteran, having served during the Vietnam War era.
Garrett Byers/Daily Courier
This pup is a very sweet male Boxer/Lab mix who is almost solid white in color. He is very fluffy and friendly and about 5 months old. He like many other loving animals are available for adoption at the Rutherford County Animal Shelter on Laurel Hill Drive in Rutherfordton. The shelter’s hours are noon to 4 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. For more information call 287-6025. For the Community Pet Center volunteers office call 287-7738. Monthly Report for August 2009: Dogs/puppies picked up or surrendered to shelter, 138/75; cats/kittens picked up or surrendered to shelter, 121/139; total number of animals picked up or surrendered-475. Dogs/puppies euthanized this month at the shelter, 72/34; cats/kittens euthanized this month at the shelter, 104/121; total number of animals euthanized at the shelter, 334. Total number of animals adopted from the shelter this month, 49. Total number of anim
Carolina Today Woman dead after chase ends in wreck
CONCORD (AP) — A 22-year-old woman has died after a chase with North Carolina troopers ended in a fiery wreck. Multiple media outlets report that Jasmine Wright pronounced dead at the scene of the crash Friday night in Concord. The Highway Patrol says Wright was the passenger in a car that troopers tried to pull over on Interstate 485 in Mecklenburg County. Troopers say they began chasing Keyone Joel after clocking his speed at 82 mph. Authorities say he drove at least 100 mph while they chased him. Joel turned onto another road and hit an incline. The car overturned, then hit a ditch and a tree. He was flown to Carolinas Medical Center and listed in critical condition.
N.C. Priest accused of molesting boy
BOLIVIA (AP) — A Catholic priest in North Carolina has been charged with molesting a boy in Brunswick County. Multiple media outlets report that the Rev. Edgar Sepulveda of Beulaville was THE DAILY COURIER Published Tuesday through Sunday mornings by Paxton Media Group LLC dba The Daily Courier USPS 204-920 Periodical Postage paid in Forest City, NC. Company Address: 601 Oak St., P.O. Box 1149, Forest City, NC 28043. Phone: (828) 245-6431 Fax: (828) 248-2790 Subscription rates: Single copy, daily 50¢ / Sunday $1.50. Home delivery $11.75 per month, $35.25 for three months, $70.50 for six months, $129 per year. In county rates by mail payable in advance are: $13.38 for one month, $40.14 for three months, $80.27 for six months, $160.54 per year. Outside county: $14.55 for one month, $43.64 for three months, $87.28 for six months, $174.56 per year. College students for school year subscription, $75. The Digital Courier, $6.50 a month for non-subscribers to The Daily Courier. Payment may be made at the website: www.thedigitalcourier. com The Daily Courier is not responsible for advance subscription payments made to carriers, all of who are independent contractors.
Survivors include his wife of 41 years, Patsy Fowler; one son, Chris Fowler of Forest City; one daughter, Pam Ezell of Shiloh; two brothers, Ray Fowler of Virginia and Bobby Dean Fowler, also of Shiloh; one sister, Dorothy Jean Robbins of Lexington; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. today at the Harrelson Funeral Chapel with the Revs. Reid Parker and Ron Boone officiating. Interment will follow in Rutherford County Memorial Cemetery with military honors accorded by the Rutherford County Honor Guard. The family will receive friends one hour prior to service time at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Rutherford County, P.O. Box 336, Forest City, NC 28043. Harrelson Funeral Home is serving the Fowler family. An online guest registry is available at www.harrelsonfuneralhome.com
Horace Humphries
arrested Friday and charged with second-degree sexual offense and sexual battery. Diocese officials said they learned about the allegations in September and contacted authorities. Sepulveda denied the accusations and was put on administrative leave during the investigation. The Catholic Diocese of Raleigh says the 47-year-old Sepulveda has been suspended from his duties.
Horace “Humpy” Humphries, 60, of 466 Buck Collins Road, Forest City, died Friday, Jan. 9, 2010, at Rutherford Hospital from a sudden illness. He was born on July 7, 1949, in Cleveland County to the late Horace Ervin Humphries Sr. and Viola Surratt Humphries.
He was a member of the Disabled American Veterans and an Army veteran, having served during the Vietnam War. He worked for Cone Mills most of his life and most recently for Charles Authorities: Two Hardin’s Trucking Co. He more accuse officer was a member of Floyd’s Creek Baptist Church. CHARLOTTE (AP) — Survivors include his wife Investigators say two more women have accused a North of 37 years, Nancy Maness Carolina police officer of sex- Humphries; three daughters, ually assaulting them during Kortney Humphries and April Humphries, both of traffic stops. the home, and Deana Harrill Multiple media outlets of Harris; one sister, Becky report that CharlotteRabb of Forest City; one Mecklenburg Police Sgt. Darrell Price said Friday that brother, Mickey Humphries of Boiling Springs; and four Officer Marcus Jackson’s patrol car dash cam caught him inappropriately touching two 21-year-old women during a search in north Charlotte Dec. 28.
Durham Chapman Mr. Durham Chapman, 82, of Union Mills, died Saturday, January 9, 2010, at Rutherford Hospital. He was the son of the late Charlie and Zillie Hudson Chapman. A veteran of the Army, he was retired from Burlington Industries and was an avid hunter and fisherman. He is survived by his wife, Hazel Jones Chapman; five sons, Bill Chapman and his wife, Dawn, of Marion, Ronnie Chapman and his wife, Deborah, of Golden Valley, Tommy Chapman and his wife, Wanda, of Bostic, Ray Chapman of Union Mills, and Gerald Chapman and his wife, Kim, of Shiloh; two sisters, Zettie Chapman Hunt of Hildebran and Lucy Chapman Wease of Casar; nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. The funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, January 11, 2010, at Sunshine United Methodist Church. Reverand Don Freshour will officiate. The body will lie in state 30 minutes prior to the service. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with military honors rendered by the Rutherford County Honor Guard. The visitation will be from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. Sunday at Washburn & Dorsey Funeral Home. Friends may sign the online guest book @www.washburndorsey.com Paid Obit
Linwood King
grandchildren.
Orson Hugh Cole
Orson Hugh Cole, age 98, of Forest City, N.C., died Friday, January 8, 2010, at Autumn Care in Forest City, N.C. He was a member of the Bethany Baptist Church for over 70 years, where he had served as a deacon, Sunday School teacher, Sunday School superintendant, and church treasurer. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Rachel Lydia Cole. A native of Rutherford County, he was the son of the late George Cole and the late Lola Morrow Cole and the widower of the late Vernie Batchelor Cole. He is survived by: one daughter, Edith Cole DeMay and husband Michael, of Charlotte, N.C.; one son, Hugh Cole and wife, Jackie, of Forest City, N.C.; two grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends Sunday, January 10, 2010, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. at Bethany Baptist Church. A funeral service will be held Sunday, January 10, 2010, at 3:00 p.m. at Bethany Baptist Church with the Revs. Marvin Green and Don Crawford officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Bethany Baptist Church Building or Mission Funds, 760 Bethany Church Rd., Forest City, NC 28043. An online guest register is available at www.mcmahansfuneralhome.com Paid Obit
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday at Floyd’s Creek Baptist Church with the Rev. Shane Kirby officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery with military honors being accorded by the Rutherford County Honor Guard. The family will receive friends from 6:30 until 8:30 p.m. today at Harrelson Funeral Home. Memorial donations may be made to Floyd’s Creek Baptist Church Building Fund, 2004 Chase High Road, Forest City, NC 28043. Harrelson Funeral Home is serving the Humphries family. An online guest registry is available at www.harrelsonfuneralhome.com
Durham Chapman Durham Chapman, 82, of Union Mills, died Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010, at Rutherford Hospital. He was the son of the late Charlie and Zillie Hudson Chapman. He was a veteran of the Army, and was retired from Burlington Industries. He is survived by his wife, Hazel Jones Chapman; five sons, Bill Chapman of Marion, Ronnie Chapman of Golden Valley, Tommy Chapman of Bostic, Ray Chapman of Union Mills and Gerald Chapman of Shiloh; two sisters, Zettie Chapman Hunt of Hildebran and Lucy Chapman Wease of Casar; nine grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. The funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Monday at Sunshine United Methodist Church. The Rev. Don Freshour will officiate. The body will lie in state 30 minutes prior to the service. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with military honors rendered by the Rutherford County Honor Guard.
Linwood Robbins King Jr., of 3312 Anderson Drive, Winston-Salem, died Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010, at his daughter’s home in Columbia, S.C. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by McKinneyLandreth Funeral Home.
Orson Hugh Cole Orson Hugh Cole, 98, of Forest City, died Friday, Jan. 8, 2010, at Autumn Care in Forest City. A native of Rutherford County, he was the son of the late George Cole and Lola Morrow Cole and the widower of Vernie Batchelor Cole. He was a member of the Bethany Baptist Church for over 70 years, where he had served as a deacon, Sunday School teacher, Sunday School Superintendant, and Church Treasurer. He was preceded in death by a daughter Rachel Lydia Cole. He is survived by a daughter, Edith Cole DeMay of Charlotte; a son, Hugh Cole of Forest City; two grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends today from 2 to 3 p.m. at Bethany Baptist Church. A funeral service will be held at 3 at the church with the Revs. Marvin Green and Don Crawford officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Bethany Baptist Church Building or Mission Funds 760 Bethany Church Rd., Forest City, NC 28043. McMahan’s Funeral Home and Cremation Services is in charge of the arrangements. Online guest register www.mcmahansfuneralhome.com
The visitation will be from 3 until 5 p.m. today at Washburn & Dorsey Funeral Home. Friends may sign the online guest book @www.washburndorsey.com
Horace ‘Humpy’ Humphries Horace “Humpy” Humphries, age 60, of 466 Buck Collins Road, Forest City, N.C., died Friday, January 9, 2010 at Rutherford Hospital from a sudden illness. Horace was born on July 7, 1949, in Cleveland County to the late Horace Ervin Humphries Sr. and Viola Surratt Humphries. He was a member of the Disabled American Veterans and a U.S. Army veteran, having served during the Vietnam War. He worked for Cone Mills most of his life and most recently for Charles Hardin’s Trucking Company. He was a member of Floyd’s Creek Baptist Church and loved fishing, playing with his grandkids and his dog, Peanuts. Survivors include his wife of 37 years, Nancy Maness Humphries; three daughters, Kortney Humphries and April Humphries, both of the home, and Deana Harrill and her husband, Kevin, of Harris; four grandchildren, Grace Harrill, Weston Harrill, Breanna Holland and Luke Holland; one sister, Becky Rabb and her husband, Roger, of Forest City; one brother, Mickey Humphries and his wife, Sharon, of Boiling Springs, N.C.; and by his father-in-law, Steve Dyer of Forest City. Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, January 11, 2010, at Floyd’s Creek Baptist Church with Reverend Shane Kirby officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery with military honors being accorded by the Rutherford County Honor Guard. The family will receive friends from 6:30 until 8:30 p.m. on Sunday at Harrelson Funeral Home. Memorial donations may be made to Floyd’s Creek Baptist Church Building Fund, 2004 Chase High Road, Forest City, NC 28043. Harrelson Funeral Home is serving the Humphries family. An online guest registry is available at www.harrelsonfuneralhome.com Paid Obit
Jimmy ‘Godfrey’ Fowler Jimmy “Godfrey” Fowler, age 61, of Henrietta, died Friday, January, 8, 2010, at Hospice House. Jimmy was born June 16, 1948, in Rutherford County to the late Ed Fowler and Ethel Blackwell Fowler. He was a warp technician at Cone Mills for over 20 years and also worked as a security guard for Reeves Brothers Security for 10 years. He was a U.S. Army veteran, having served during the Vietnam War era. He enjoyed children, horses and wrestling. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, James “Lefty” Fowler.. Survivors include his wife of 41 years, Patsy Fowler; one son, Chris Fowler and his wife, Francesca, of Forest City; one daughter, Pam Ezell and her husband, Scott, of Shiloh; four grandchildren, Brittany Ezell and Cody Ezell, both of Forest City, Cameron Fowler and Garrett Fowler, both of Forest City; and one great-grandchild, Alana Ezell; two brothers, Ray Fowler of Virginia and Bobby Dean Fowler, also of Shiloh; and one sister, Dorothy Jean Robbins of Lexington, N.C. Funeral services will be conducted at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 10, 2010, at the Harrelson Funeral Chapel with Reverend Reid Parker and Reverend Ron Boone officiating. Interment will follow in Rutherford County Memorial Cemetery with military honors accorded by the Rutherford County Honor Guard. The family will receive friends one hour prior to service time at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made in memory of Jimmy Fowler to Hospice of Rutherford County, PO Box 336, Forest City, NC 28043. Harrelson Funeral Home is serving the Fowler family. An online guest registry is available at www.harrelsonfuneralhome.com Paid Obit
6A — The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010
Calendar/Local Site Continued from Page 1A
Red Cross Blood drives schedule: Jan. 9 — Goodes Creek Baptist Church, 7:30 a.m. to noon, call 2453513 for an appointment; Jan. 9 — Cliffside Masonic Lodge, Old Main St., Cliffside, 7:30 a.m. to noon, call 245-7606 for an appointment; Jan. 18 — Smith’s Drugs, Main St., Forest City, 1 to 5:30 p.m.; Jan. 25 — Red Cross Chapter House, 838 Oakland Road; Forest City, 2 to 6:30 p.m., call 287-5916 for an appointment; Jan. 28 — R-S Middle School, 2 to 7:30 p.m., call 286-8314 for an appointment. Red Cross classes: Adult, Child, Infant CPR — Jan. 9, begins at 8:30 a.m. Adult, Child, Infant CPR — Jan. 11, begins at 6 p.m. Adult CPR — Jan. 14, begins at 6 p.m. Child, Infant CPR — Jan. 15, begins at 6 p.m. First Aid — Jan. 16, begins at 8:30 a.m., Preventing Disease Transmission. All classes must be paid in advance. Call 287-5916 for further information.
Meetings/other Photography meeting: Carolina Nature Photographers Association will meet Monday, Jan. 11, at the county annex building in Rutherfordton, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Anyone interested in photography are encouraged to attend. Contact Rickey Green at 828-4295096 for more information. Alumni breakfast: Harris High School Alumni; Tuesday, Jan. 12, 9 a.m., at Turner’s Restaurant, Chesnee, S.C., (back dining room); all are welcome, Dutch treat; for more information contact Joan at 245-2658. Annual MLK celebration: Nationally known civil rights activist Joanne Bland will speak at Isothermal Community College on Thursday, Jan. 14, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Bland will speak to audiences from 9 to 10:15 a.m., and again from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., in the Library Auditorium. Hosted by college’s Afro-American Club and the Minority Male Fellows Program. Owls Booster meeting: Forest City Owls Boosters will meet Thursday, Jan. 14, at Rollins Cafeteria. Meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. Please come early (6 p.m., or sooner) if you plan to have a meal. Membership $25 per person. For information contact Cecil Geer at (828) 9190000. PWA meeting: The Professional Women’s Association meets the third Tuesday of each month from noon to 1 p.m. Dutch treat lunch. The next meeting is Jan. 19, at Tuscany Italian Grille, Spindale. Prospective members welcome. Friends of HNG meeting: “Conservation Conversation”; Wednesday, Jan. 20, 6:30 to 8 p.m.; Lake Lure Municipal Center, 2948 Memorial Hwy., Lake Lure; open to anyone interested in the protection and preservation of the natural beauty of Hickory Nut Gorge. Contact Becky at 828-685-8798 or e-mail batcave25@yahoo.com for further details. TOPS group: TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), weight-control organization, meets each Monday, at Caroleen Baptist Church. Weighin 5:30 p.m., meeting 6 p.m. For more information call 245-0672. Alcoholics Anonymous: The TriCity Alano Club meets every day at 1201 Oakland Road, Forest City, (first door on the left). For more information and meeting times call 288-2700.
Miscellaneous Teen Center opening: Youth Empowerment will be opening a teen center in Forest City starting Monday, Jan. 11, located at 182 Sparks Dr., beside Bojangles, (in the old Special Occasions building). The center will serve youth 10-17, and also hold a special program for girls ages 12-17 by addressing issues specific to them. Women in the community interested in serving as mentors, call 828-288-1021 for more information. Giveaways: Free coats and blankets will be given away on Saturday, Jan. 30, from noon to 3 p.m. at Holy Ground Community Church, (beside Forest City Post Office); soup will also be served; for more information contact Deana Lail at 828-305-1612. Art Exhibit: Rutherford County Visual Arts Guild presents the Young Budding Artist exhibit through Jan. 30, at Norris Public Library, Rutherfordton. The young artists are students of Judy Ockert. Guardian ad Litem program: Federal and N.C. laws mandate legal representation for children in abuse and neglect court proceedings. Community volunteers are a powerful voice in advocating for children and helping them to find their voice in the court system. To find out how you can become a Guardian ad Litem, call 287-3929.
turn increases our resources available for service to the community.” Salvation Army also receives funding from United Way of Rutherford County, but Bennett said United Way funding is not enough to meet all the needs. “United Way is an important source of service funding for the Rutherford County operation, but is not the only source of service funding,” Bennett said. “The Salvation Army is truly grateful for the support of many who give through the United Way. Last year The Salvation Army of Rutherford County spent $134,421 for direct assistance, regular and seasonal. United Way would calculate as 5 percent of this program,” Bennett added. “There are times during the year when donations are scarce, especially during the summer and early fall. Thanks to support received from the United Way, The Salvation Army is able to serve more people of Rutherford County.” Bennett said Salvation Army in Rutherford and Cleveland counties is committed to meeting the needs of the community, including helping the homeless with rent and utility assistance, food, clothing and the annual Christmas Cheer Center. “We are grateful for the community support of Salvation Army,” Bennett added. “Be it monetary contributions for our outreach services, material donations to the Family Store, volunteerism or prayer, the Salvation Army
Board Continued from Page 1A
come Tuesday at 6 p.m. to the Cool Springs Administrative Office for just that; the board’s regularly scheduled meeting for January will follow. “Our intent is to hear everyone who comes,” he said. Those who speak will be allowed to provide their comments on what they feel is important for the schools and the key traits they feel a superintendent should possess. “We are asking and giving the opportunity for them to give characteristics and traits, not particular people or personalities,” he said. Public input, while not the only factor, will weigh heavily in the decision making process, Bennett said. “The goal of the Board of Education is to select the most capable person to lead our school system. Vision, experience and leadership skills are primary considerations. Public opinion is certainly an important factor in the decision-making process,” he said.
Strength Continued from Page 1A
up in the air and slam it down across their knee,” said Andy Gavin, who has been a member of the Strength Team for five years. “That’s kind of an easy way to break a bat. Louisville Slugger tells us it takes 400 pounds of pressure to snap a baseball bat.” Gavin placed the bat across his knee, and after several seconds of pushing, cracked it in two. Gavin asked students to come to the stage to verify the various props the team would use were legitimate, including five Rutherford County phone books taped together to be ripped in half. “Everywhere we go, people think we’re fake or phony,” Gavin said. After students agreed the books were real, Gavin explained “There are about 2,000 pages there. It’s going to
Jean Gordon/Daily Courier
The Salvation Army Thrift Store located on Withrow Road, Forest City, will close at the end of February, said Sgt. Ann Bennett, director of the Cleveland/Rutherford Salvation Army. A search is on for a new building for Salvation Army services in Rutherford County.
recognizes the need for efficiency, effective services and strives to do the most good,” she said. The monetary contributions coming into the thrift store go back into the community to provide social services, Bennett said. But because of the economic situation, “there is barely enough money to keep the store running,” she said.
“We want to give more social services,” she added, “but more money is needed.” By moving to a smaller location and reducing overhead, Bennett hopes the thrift store will be more effective and make more money. Contact Gordon via e-mail at jgordon@thedigitalcourier.com.
‘Race to Top’ is one Tuesday agenda The Rutherford County Board of Education will hold its January meeting Tuesday night at 7 p.m., following public comments on what characteristics people would like to see in the next superintendent. During the meeting the board will recognize National Board certified teachers. Action items include the Race to the Top Memorandum of Understanding. As part of the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act, “Race to the Top” is a federal $4.5 billion competitive grant fund that rewards states for educational innovation and achieving significant improvements in student performance. Other action items include a revised budget resolution and an audit report. Cliffside Elementary students will present the pledge of allegiance and the inspiration.
Bennett said applications for the position are being sent to the board’s attorney, Chris Campbell of Campbell Shatley PLLC in Asheville. He did not know how many applicants there are currently or if anyone from Rutherford County had applied. “We anticipate we will have local candidates,” he said. A new superintendent will be named before school ends this year, Bennett
said, and will likely be named sooner. “I anticipate we will review applications, the surveys and the letters from the local advisory councils sometime in late January,” Bennett said. “We hope to do interviews in February. My expectation is by sometime in March we’ll have a decision.”
be like trying to rip a tree branch in half.” Students cheered as another team member, Jeremy Baker, strained and ripped, tearing the five books at once in half. Gavin also bent a steel bar in two twice, creating a fish shape. Between demonstrations, Gavin reminded students the theme for the event was choices. “Choices are so important in our life,” he said. “What happens when we make bad choices?” As students gave examples, Gavin continued, “It doesn’t matter if you are in first grade, fifth grade or an adult – the choices you make are shaping your future and destiny.” Gavin asked students to name what they dreamed of becoming once they grew up. Following their responses, he shared with them the top three dream takers: Getting involved in drugs and alcohol, smoking and bullying.
Bullying, he said, begins early. “Sometimes it happens on the playground or on the bus home,” Gavin said. “Bullies never reach their goals or dreams. Your words are very powerful – words can be even more powerful than guns or knives.” For the final demonstration of strength, members squeezed a can of Diet Seven Up until it burst, spraying the soda 20 to 30 feet into the air.
Contact Flynn via e-mail at aflynn@thedigitalcourier.com.
The Strength Team will be at Adaville Baptist Church tonight at 7 doing more demonstrations of strength, including a member who will drive his head through three feet of concrete that is on fire. Suggested door donation is $2. For more information on the team, visit the Web site at www.strengthteam.com. Contact Flynn via e-mail at aflynn@thedigitalcourier.com.
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The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010 — 7A
Business Notes
Main Street to Wall Street
Psychiatrist joins staff at hospital RUTHERFORDTON — Rutherford Hospital Inc. announces James Lee, MD, a psychiatrist, has joined the medical staff. He joins Mathew Joseph, M.D., as part of RHI’s Insights Psychiatric Resources, which comprises two distinct programs — the mental health Dr. Lee clinic that has recently relocated to a Spindale location and an inpatient behavioral health unit located on the 5th floor of the hospital. Dr. Lee comes to RHI from Piedmont Neuropsychiatry in Durham and Charlotte where he served as Physician and Medical Director. Dr. Lee received his undergraduate and medical degrees from Duke University, where he also completed his residency and a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry. RHI announced this past year the opening of a new office for the mental health clinic portion of its Insights Psychiatric Resources at 393 Oak St. in Spindale. Insights Psychiatric Resources provides advanced treatment for depression, anxiety, bipolar and other mental health problems for adolescents, adults and seniors. CEO Dave Bixler said, “Through the effective treatment services of Insights Psychiatric Resources, many people have found new hope and new tools for healthy living. The addition of Dr. Lee to this part of our organization further enhances the support we can give to the people of Rutherford and surrounding counties.”
BoA bankers to get 2007 level bonuses
Edward Shook is seen in his home office in Raleigh. After losing money in the troubled market, Shook has decided largely to stay out of the stock market. Associated Press
Small investors abandon stocks By BERNARD CONDON AP Business Writer
NEW YORK — Edward Shook can’t resist a bull market. He rode the one in the late 1990s and lost $350,000 in the dot-com collapse. Shaken but optimistic, he bought into the bull market that followed — and lost another $350,000 from his portfolio’s peak when stocks fell to a 12-year low in early 2009. Now the 65-year-old roofing contractor from Raleigh, says “he’s getting smart for a change.” Even though the Standard & Poor’s 500 has climbed 68 percent since March, Shook is largely leaving the stock market “to the crooks that run” it. He’s sold shares and bought bonds instead, with no regrets. Millions of other Americans are steering the same course. After being key players in bull runs of the past, small-time investors have not only stopped buying, they’re selling. The question for the new year: If the man on the street doesn’t jump back in, will stocks continue to defy gravity? So far, the market’s comeback is almost entirely due to buying by professional investors at hedge funds, pension funds, banks and other institutions.
“We’ve never seen this before — such a huge rally, and the little guy is out,” says Vincent Deluard, a strategist for TrimTabs Investment Research, a Sausalito, Calif., firm that tracks mutual fund flows to get a sense of what individual investors are doing. Mutual funds are a good proxy for such investors because more than three-quarters of fund assets are held by individuals, both directly and through retirement plans. Small investors yanked a net $14 billion from stock mutual funds from the beginning of last year through mid-December. That’s on top of a net $245 billion withdrawn in 2008, according to TrimTabs. The firm says most of $592 billion taken out of money market mutual funds last year has gone into bond and bond-hybrid funds instead. Some bulls say ordinary folks are likely to start buying again soon, given the encouraging economic news lately. Others are not so sure, and fear that if investors drag their feet much longer, stocks could flatline. According to the Federal Reserve, individuals held 80 percent of the $19 trillion in stock in U.S. companies, both private and public, at the end of September. That means they can have a big impact on the market
NEW YORK (AP) — Investment bankers at Bank of America Corp. will likely get bonuses close to what they got in 2007 as the bank tries to retain key employees following its takeover of Merrill Lynch, The Wall Street Journal reports. Citing people familiar with the situation, the Journal reported that Bank of America bankers are expected to get 2009 bonuses equal to 2007 levels, with about 25 percent in cash and the rest as deferred payments of stock or cash tied to the company’s performance. Merrill paid out $5.8 billion in year-end bonuses in 2007, the Journal said. It said the size of Bank of America’s bonus outlay could not be determined. Bank of America spokesman Robert Stickler, in a response to a request for comment on the Journal story, said “nothing has been decided” in terms of the bank’s 2009 bonus policy.
Please see Stocks, Page 8A
Dropouts curb jobless counts By CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER AP Economics Writer
Smithfield scales back at Va. plant layoff SMITHFIELD, Va. (AP) — Smithfield Foods Inc. said Thursday it will lay off fewer than 30 workers when it closes a Virginia meat processing plant this spring, nowhere near the 340 it previously anticipated. The nation’s largest pork producer plans to transfer about 800 employees to a nearby packing plant over the next two months.
whether they own the stock directly or through mutual funds. There’s also a third view, a decidedly bearish one that’s sure to delight anyone who’s ever felt taken by a pushy broker or an optimistic analyst report or cheerleading by financial journalists: Maybe, just maybe, the little guy is right to be shunning the market now, and it’s the experts who are wrong. “People have been lured into two bubbles seven years apart, and for a lot of them it’s over,” says David Rosenberg, chief economist at Toronto money manager Gluskin Sheff. “The bulls say if the market is up this much without retail investors, just watch when they come in, but it isn’t going to happen.” Rosenberg says investors who have not been spooked or angered by the market are probably too poor to buy anyway. The Investment Company Institute says 5 percent of the 24 million 401(k) investors it tracks stopped contributing to the plans through the first nine months of last year, 1.3 percentage points higher than in all of 2008. It’s impossible to say how much that drop is due to disaffection with
Associated Press
In this photo taken Dec. 30, a job seeker uses the phone at the Verdugo Job Center in Glendale, Calif.
WASHINGTON — Nearly 2 million Americans have dropped out of the work force since last May — and if they hadn’t, the unemployment rate would have risen a lot more dramatically over the last several months. Either way, joblessness is quite high. The Labor Department said Friday the unemployment rate remained at 10 percent last month, the same as in November and just below the 10.1 percent rate reached in October. The October figure, which was revised down from 10.2 percent, was the highest in 26 years. Employers cut 85,000 jobs last month, but hiring and firing isn’t the only thing that affects the unemployment rate. Also important is the overall size of the labor force, which is the number of people working and actively looking for work. The unemployed who aren’t searching for jobs — either because they’re discouraged or because they’re returning to school or caring for a family member, among other reasons — aren’t included in the labor force and aren’t counted in the unemployment rate. Since May, the labor force has dropped to 153.1 million from nearly 155 million, a 1.2 percent decline. More than 660,000 people exited in December, the most in any single month in 14 years. Had all those people remained in the work force and hunted for jobs, the December unemployment rate would have been 11 percent instead. What worries economists is that many of those people are likely to resume job hunting if the econ-
Please see Dropouts, Page 8A
8A — The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010
Business/Finance
THE WEEK IN REVIEW
WEEKLY STOCK EXCHANGE HIGHLIGHTS
u
NYSE
7,425.35+240.39
GAINERS ($2 OR MORE)
Name Last Heckmn un10.24 FredM pfS 2.00 iStar pfF 10.56 iStar pfD 10.90 iStar pfG 10.22 Wabash 2.73 iStar pfE 10.50 iStar pfI 10.05 FstPfd pfA 7.00 HutchTel s 4.17
Chg +3.82 +.70 +3.40 +3.50 +3.24 +.84 +3.21 +3.07 +2.00 +1.16
%Chg +59.5 +53.8 +47.5 +47.3 +46.4 +44.4 +44.0 +44.0 +40.0 +38.5
u
AMEX
1,872.50 +47.55
GAINERS ($2 OR MORE)
Name Last Cohen&Co 8.45 ShengInn n 7.38 BioTime wt 2.85 GenMoly 2.80 SkyPFrtJ n 5.52 EntreeGold 3.25 ImpacM n 4.33 CheniereEn 3.15 NwGold g 4.72 OrienPap n13.58
Chg +3.55 +2.23 +.80 +.72 +1.40 +.82 +1.04 +.73 +1.08 +3.10
%Chg +72.4 +43.3 +39.0 +34.6 +34.0 +33.7 +31.7 +30.2 +29.7 +29.6
u
NASDAQ
2,317.17 +48.02
GAINERS ($2 OR MORE)
Name Last Cyclacel 2.96 FPB Bncp 2.90 vjLunaInn h 4.50 ChinaDir 2.25 ChGerui wt 2.07 Cyclacel pf 3.90 BioFormM 5.63 OnTrack 2.20 Zygo 10.85 CentrueF 3.98
Chg +1.92 +1.75 +2.37 +1.07 +.84 +1.55 +2.23 +.84 +4.12 +1.38
%Chg +184.6 +152.2 +110.8 +90.7 +68.3 +66.0 +65.6 +61.8 +61.2 +53.2
LOSERS ($2 OR MORE) Name Last Chg %Chg DirChiBear 34.66 -7.49 -17.8 ProSUSSilv 3.97 -.82 -17.1 BPZ Res 7.98 -1.52 -16.0 DirxEnBear 9.63 -1.65 -14.6 MauiLnd 4.79 -.76 -13.7 DirFBear rs16.81 -2.62 -13.5 BarVixShT 29.52 -4.55 -13.4 ProUShtBM 7.35 -1.14 -13.4 Rogers 26.31 -4.00 -13.2 SwESPRet102.82 -.39 -12.1
LOSERS ($2 OR MORE) Name Last Chg %Chg IncOpR 6.59 -1.81 -21.5 MercBcp 2.60 -.42 -13.8 UQM Tech 6.05 -.80 -11.7 AdcareH wt 2.30 -.30 -11.5 AMCON 59.00 -6.99 -10.6 IEC Elec n 4.74 -.56 -10.6 Bcp NJ 9.40 -1.10 -10.5 Sifco 12.97 -1.43 -9.9 TrnsatlPt n 3.08 -.34 -9.9 AmShrd 2.68 -.27 -9.2
LOSERS ($2 OR MORE) Name Last Chg %Chg ChinaInfra 2.08 -1.20 -36.7 XenithB nh 4.69 -2.31 -33.0 InfoLogx rs 4.74 -1.61 -25.4 Mylan cv12800.03-239.97-23.1 ATCross 4.16 -1.07 -20.5 CarverBcp 7.35 -1.70 -18.8 FarmCB 8.54 -1.68 -16.4 ReadgIntB 5.72 -1.03 -15.3 ShndTelcm 17.24 -3.11 -15.3 Shiloh 4.49 -.81 -15.3
MOST ACTIVE ($1 OR MORE) Name Vol (00) Last Chg Citigrp 29167855 3.59 +.28 BkofAm 11088290 16.78 +1.72 FordM 7209215 11.69 +1.69 SPDR 5138073 114.57 +3.13 GenElec 4849805 16.60 +1.47 SPDR Fncl 3854719 15.22 +.82 Motorola 2839418 7.76 ... SprintNex 2715843 3.95 +.29 iShEMkts 2445291 43.20 +1.70 iShR2K 2412594 64.52 +2.08
MOST ACTIVE ($1 OR MORE) Name Vol (00) Last Chg AdeonaPh 265798 1.30 +.74 GoldStr g 215416 3.47 +.35 NA Pall g 186115 4.03 +.53 NwGold g 159392 4.72 +1.08 Oilsands g 133684 1.20 +.05 NovaGld g 126709 6.65 +.52 ChNEPet n 117553 10.43 +1.18 Intellichk 106879 4.01 +.26 GranTrra g 105959 5.58 -.15 NthgtM g 102950 3.43 +.35
MOST ACTIVE ($1 OR MORE) Name Vol (00) Last Chg PwShs QQQ3638130 46.55 +.80 Microsoft 2441938 30.66 +.18 Intel 2404443 20.83 +.43 Cisco 2089013 24.66 +.72 MicronT 2048923 11.10 +.54 ETrade 1767700 1.80 +.04 HuntBnk 1456138 4.22 +.57 Oracle 1333103 24.68 +.15 DryShips 1266160 6.77 +.95 Cyclacel 1246138 2.96 +1.92
Advanced Declined Unchanged Total issues New Highs New Lows Volume
DIARY
1,869 1,190 114 3,173 381 5 4,430,891,918
DIARY
Advanced Declined Unchanged Total issues New Highs New Lows Volume
289 209 54 552 27 ... 161,341,529
Stocks Continued from Page 7A
the markets or to strained household budgets. Vanguard, the big mutual fund company, says it expects a similar dropout rate in its 401(k) programs for 2009 when all the year’s numbers are tallied. It notes that most investors are sticking to plan, though. Only 11 percent of its 401(k) customers shifted investments among funds in the first nine months last year, lower than the average this decade. It says the moves showed a slight shift to bonds. Bears say a pullback, combined with a new distaste for stocks, could drag returns down for years and change the way we see stocks: more as vehicles for throwing off dividends, as they were valued in the past, than as a route to riches. If Main Street is correct in anticipating this, it will be a rare flash of prescience. In the year following the October 1987 crash, investors pulled $20 billion out of stock funds, missing a big snapback in prices, according to data from TrimTabs. Then they made the
WEEKLY DOW JONES
you talk. we listen. HAVE YOU REVIEWED YOUR 155.91 -11.94 1.66 33.18 11.33 Dow Jones industrials in person. 10,618.19 LIFEClose: INSURANCE LATELY?
Advanced Declined New Highs New Lows Total issues Unchanged Volume
DIARY
1,946 925 468 31 2,934 63 10,969,292,276
1-week change: 190.14 (1.8%)
11,000
MON
TUES
WED
THUR
52-Week High Low
10,619.40 4,228.06 408.57 7,426.41 1,887.23 2,317.60 1,145.39 11,891.68 644.69 3,152.30
FRI
10,000 9,000 8,000
6,469.95 2,134.21 288.66 4,181.75 1,234.81 1,265.52 666.79 6,772.29 342.59 1,789.23
STOCK MARKET INDEXES Name
Last
Dow Jones Industrials Dow Jones Transportation Dow Jones Utilities NYSE Composite AMEX Index Nasdaq Composite S&P 500 Wilshire 5000 Russell 2000 Lipper Growth Index
10,618.19 4,222.26 396.31 7,425.35 1,872.50 2,317.17 1,144.98 11,889.31 644.56 3,152.30
MUTUAL FUNDS
J
A
S
O
N
D
J
STOCKS OF LOCAL INTEREST Name
Wk Wk YTD Div Last Chg %Chg%Chg
Name
Wk Wk YTD Div Last Chg %Chg%Chg
AT&T Inc Amazon ArvMerit BB&T Cp BkofAm BerkHa A Cisco Delhaize Dell Inc DukeEngy ExxonMbl FamilyDlr FifthThird FCtzBA GenElec GoldmanS Google KrispKrm
1.68 27.10 -.51 -1.8 -3.3 ... 133.52 -1.00 -0.7 -.7 ... 11.57 +.39 +3.5 +3.5 .60 27.34 +2.12 +8.4 +7.8 .04 16.78 +1.72 +11.4 +11.4 ...100300.00+1100.00+1.1 +1.1 ... 24.66 +.72 +3.0 +3.0 2.01 79.17 +2.45 +3.2 +3.2 ... 14.85 +.49 +3.4 +3.4 .96 16.84 -.37 -2.1 -2.1 1.68 69.52 +1.33 +2.0 +2.0 .54 30.14 +2.31 +8.3 +8.3 .04 11.09 +1.34+13.7 +13.7 1.20 177.18+13.17 +8.0 +8.0 .40 16.60 +1.47 +9.7 +9.7 1.40 174.31 +5.47 +3.2 +3.2 ... 602.02-17.96 -2.9 -2.9 ... 3.02 +.07 +2.4 +2.4
LeggPlat Lowes Microsoft PPG ParkerHan ProgrssEn RedHat RoyalBk g SaraLee SonicAut SonocoP SpectraEn SpeedM Timken UPS B WalMart
1.04 .36 .52 2.16 1.00 2.48 ... 2.00 .44 ... 1.08 1.00 .36 .36 1.80 1.09
21.18 23.59 30.66 61.75 56.22 39.36 30.14 53.64 12.00 11.31 30.73 20.99 16.89 26.72 60.17 53.33
+.78 +3.8 +.20 +0.9 +.18 +0.6 +3.21 +5.5 +2.34 +4.3 -1.03 -2.6 -.76 -2.5 +.09 +0.2 -.18 -1.5 +.92 +8.9 +1.48 +5.1 +.48 +2.3 -.73 -4.1 +3.01+12.7 +2.80 +4.9 -.12 -0.2
+3.8 +.9 +.6 +5.5 +4.3 -4.0 -2.5 +.2 -1.5 +8.9 +5.1 +2.3 -4.1 +12.7 +4.9 -.2
Stock Footnotes: g = Dividends and earnings in Canadian dollars. h = Does not meet continued-listing standards. lf = Late filing with SEC. n = New in past 52 weeks. pf = Preferred. rs = Stock has undergone a reverse stock split of at least 50 percent within the past year. rt = Right to buy security at a specified price. s = Stock has split by at least 20 percent within the last year. un = Units. vj = In bankruptcy or receivership. wd = When distributed. wi = When issued. wt = Warrants. Mutual Fund Footnotes: b = Fee covering market costs is paid from fund assets. d = Deferred sales charge, or redemption fee. f = front load (sales charges). m = Multiple fees are charged. NA = not available. p = previous day’s net asset value. s = fund split shares during the week. x = fund paid a distribution during the week.Gainers and Losers must be worth at least $2 to be listed in tables at left. Most Actives must be worth at least $1. Volume in hundreds of shares. Source: The Associated Press. Sales figures are unofficial.
opposite mistake, putting $22 billion into the market in the year before the start of the early ‘90s recession and market drop. Burned by the 2000 dot-com bust, they pulled $81 billion from stock funds in the last six months of 2002, according to TrimTabs. The S&P 500 returned 29 percent the next year. Individuals have a lot riding on the funds. Nearly half of households that own mutual funds have three-quarters or more of their financial assets tied up in them, the Investment Company Institute says. “The typical investor gets it dramatically, persistently wrong,” says Larry Swedroe, director of research at Buckingham Asset Management in Clayton, Mo. The idea is to leave stock picking to the experts. The problem is, there’s no proof the professionals can consistently outperform the market, at least not ones running mutual funds. University of Maryland finance professor Russ Wermers studied 2,076 funds over 32 years through 2006 and found that actively managed stock funds underperformed passive index funds by a risk-adjusted 0.97
percentage point a year, after accounting for fees. Swedroe thinks investors blew it by bailing out earlier this year only to miss the biggest runup since the 1930s. TrimTabs’ Deluard notes they may have compounded that mistake by piling into bonds that will drop in value should interest rates rise this year as the market expects. Bad timing notwithstanding, there are strong arguments for continuing to stay away from stocks. For starters, stocks are up because of unprecedented fiscal and monetary stimulus has helped push them there. What happens once it’s gone? Rosenberg, the Gluskin Sheff bear, says the market could lose a third of its value once the government props are kicked away. Jeremy Grantham, 71, the founder of Boston money manager GMO who warned that housing and stocks were widely overvalued a few years ago, thinks investors should tread carefully. Shook has a scary figure of his own keeping him on the sidelines: that $700,000 he lost. “It’s like investing in Bernie Madoff,” he says of the stock markets. “Anyone not putting money into stocks has it right.”
Total Assets Name Obj ($Mlns) NAV PIMCO TotRetIs CI 115,919 10.89 American Funds GrthAmA m LG 66,116 28.09 American Funds CapIncBuA m IH 58,324 48.63 Vanguard TotStIdx LB 58,004 28.24 Fidelity Contra LG 57,153 59.30 American Funds CpWldGrIA m WS 56,527 34.98 American Funds IncAmerA m MA 49,431 15.72 American Funds InvCoAmA m LB 49,143 26.61 Vanguard 500Inv LB 48,312 105.48 Vanguard InstIdx LB 44,401 104.77 American Funds EurPacGrA m FB 40,624 39.51 Dodge & Cox Stock LV 39,986 99.42 American Funds WAMutInvA m LV 38,906 25.09 Dodge & Cox IntlStk FV 36,757 32.94 American Funds NewPerspA m WS 33,009 26.25 Fidelity DivrIntl d FG 32,048 28.76 American Funds FnInvA m LB 30,966 33.68 PIMCO TotRetAdm b CI 30,268 10.89 FrankTemp-Franklin Income A mCA 29,740 2.11 American Funds BalA m MA 29,690 16.54 Vanguard 500Adml LB 28,379 105.48 Vanguard Welltn MA 28,289 29.42 Fidelity GrowCo LG 28,159 70.77 Vanguard TotStIAdm LB 27,762 28.25 American Funds BondA m CI 27,358 11.90 Vanguard TotIntl FB 26,043 14.94 Vanguard InstPlus LB 24,767 104.77 Fidelity LowPriStk d MB 24,672 32.92 T Rowe Price EqtyInc LV 15,493 21.74 Hartford CapAprA m LB 9,880 31.73 Pioneer PioneerA m LB 4,328 36.70 Goldman Sachs ShDuGovA m GS 1,486 10.35 Alliance Bernstein GrowIncA m LV 1,245 3.01 DWS-Scudder REstA m SR 438 13.85 Hartford GrowthL m LG 188 15.57
Wk Chg
+190.14 +122.63 -1.70 +240.39 +47.55 +48.02 +29.88 +340.67 +19.17 +94.00
Wk YTD 12-mo %Chg %Chg %Chg
+1.82 +2.99 -.43 +3.35 +2.61 +2.12 +2.68 +2.95 +3.07 +3.07
Total Return/Rank 4-wk 12-mo 5-year +0.2 +12.8/C +7.1/A +5.7 +34.6/C +4.0/A +1.3 +21.6/D +4.4/C +5.7 +30.9/B +2.0/B +5.5 +31.5/D +5.8/A +3.9 +34.3/C +7.2/A +1.9 +25.9/C +3.4/B +4.4 +28.7/C +2.7/B +5.0 +28.9/C +1.3/C +5.1 +29.0/C +1.4/C +4.2 +41.0/A +9.1/A +5.4 +32.2/A +0.5/D +3.1 +21.2/E +1.0/C +4.7 +48.5/A +7.0/A +4.4 +38.4/B +6.9/A +4.2 +34.2/D +5.0/D +5.6 +33.6/B +5.2/A +0.2 +12.5/C +6.8/A +4.6 +35.0/A +4.5/A +2.8 +22.3/D +2.7/C +5.0 +29.0/C +1.4/C +2.7 +23.7/C +5.6/A +7.2 +40.7/B +5.8/A +5.7 +31.1/B +2.1/B +0.2 +14.8/B +2.7/E +4.8 +40.5/A +6.7/A +5.1 +29.1/C +1.4/C +6.9 +40.8/B +4.6/B +5.8 +29.0/B +1.8/B +6.9 +43.5/A +5.1/A +5.5 +25.5/D +2.2/B -0.2 +4.1/B +4.8/A +3.9 +20.4/E -1.0/E +3.4 +37.0/B +1.3/C +7.2 +34.2/C +1.2/D
+1.82 +2.99 -.43 +3.35 +2.61 +2.12 +2.68 +2.95 +3.07 +3.07
+23.48 +22.01 +6.88 +30.19 +27.60 +47.44 +28.60 +32.31 +33.92 +43.22
Pct Min Init Load Invt NL 5,000,000 5.75 250 5.75 250 NL 3,000 NL 2,500 5.75 250 5.75 250 5.75 250 NL 3,000 NL 5,000,000 5.75 250 NL 2,500 5.75 250 NL 2,500 5.75 250 NL 2,500 5.75 250 NL 5,000,000 4.25 1,000 5.75 250 NL 100,000 NL 10,000 NL 2,500 NL 100,000 3.75 250 NL 3,000 NL200,000,000 NL 2,500 NL 2,500 5.50 1,000 5.75 1,000 1.50 1,000 4.25 2,500 5.75 1,000 4.75 0
CA -Conservative Allocation, CI -Intermediate-Term Bond, ES -Europe Stock, FB -Foreign Large Blend, FG -Foreign LargeGrowth, FV -Foreign Large Value, IH -World Allocation, LB -Large Blend, LG -Large Growth, LV -Large Value, MA -Moderate Allocation, MB -Mid-Cap Blend, MV - MidCap Value, SH -Specialty-heath, WS -World Stock, Total Return: Chng in NAV with dividends reinvested. Rank: How fund performed vs. others with same objective: A is in top 20%, E in bottom 20%. Min Init Invt: Minimum $ needed to invest in fund. Source: Morningstar.
Dropouts Continued from Page 7A
omy continues to pick up. That could boost the jobless rate to 10.5 percent or higher, even if the economy improves and employers start hiring again. Here, by the numbers, are some more details you can find deep in the employment report. From red to black and back again n 85,000: The net total of jobs lost in December n 4,000: The net total of jobs gained in November, the first gain in 23 months n 127,000: The net total of jobs lost in October n 691,000: Average number of jobs lost each month in the first quarter of 2009 n 69,000: Average number lost each month in the fourth quarter n 7.2 million: Total decline in U.S. payrolls since recession began in December 2007 Misery loves company n 15.3 million: People unemployed in December 2009, down from a record 15.6 million in June n 12.1 million: People unemployed in December 1982, the record before the latest recession n 10 percent: Unemployment rate in December 2009 n 10.1 percent: Unemployment rate in October, revised down from 10.2 n 4.9 percent: Unemployment rate in December 2007, when the recession began n 10.8 percent: Unemployment rate in December 1982, the highest since World War II Tough times for the youngest n 27.1 percent: Unemployment rate for teenagers in December n 15.6 percent: Unemployment rate for those 20 to 24 years old Long-term joblessness n 39.8 percent: Proportion of unemployed who’ve been out of work six months or longer, a record n 29.1 weeks: Average length of unemployment in December, also a record n 6.1 million: Number of people unemployed for six months or longer, also a record n 1.3 million: Number unemployed for that long in December 2007, when the recession began Where the jobs are n 46,500: The number of temporary jobs added in December n 9,900: Jobs added in financial services and insurance n 10,800: Jobs added in education n 21,500: Jobs added in hospitals, nursing and other health care sectors n 4,000: Jobs added in architectural and engineering services n 3,400: Jobs added in computer services Underemployed n 9.2 million: Number of part-time workers who would have preferred full-time work last month n 2.5 million: People without jobs who want to work but have stopped looking n 17.3 percent: “Underemployment” rate in December if you include the above two categories n 17.4 percent: Underemployment rate in October, the highest in records dating to 1994 December unemployment rate by group n 13 percent: Female heads of households n 8.4 percent: Asians n 9 percent: Whites n 12.9 percent: Hispanics n 16.2 percent: Blacks n 27.1 percent: Teenagers
The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010 — 9A
Nation
Hat case has far reaching potential WASHINGTON (AP) — A hat can be a small thing. Then there’s the Supreme Court battle over who gets to make official NFL headgear logos. It could end up having a very large effect not only on all professional sports, but also the landscape of business in the United States. “Make no mistake about it, this case is about more than just hats,” said DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the National Football League Player Association. The high court will hear arguments Wednesday from a former NFL apparel maker seeking to overturn rulings that the National Football League is one business, not 32 separate ones or teams working together, and therefore immune to an antitrust complaint. A decision granting the NFL a blanket antitrust exemption could lead to player strikes not only in football, but also pro basketball, hockey and other sports, advocates said. It also could give leagues leeway to reduce player salaries by ending free agency, mean higher ticket price and even reshape nonsport business practices by narrowing the scope of antitrust enforcement. The fallout if the ruling says a league with privately owned clubs can’t be considered one business? Lawyers on the other side says that could lead to lawsuits against pro sport leagues, multinational businesses and even credit card companies, potentially driving up the cost of doing business and of everyday products. A victory by American Needle Inc. of Buffalo Grove, Ill., “would convert every league of separately owned clubs into a walking antitrust conspiracy,” NFL lawyer Gregg H. Levy said The company filed an antitrust challenge to an NFL deal with Reebok International Ltd. American Needle had been one of many companies that made NFL headgear until the league awarded an exclusive contract to Reebok in 2001. American Needle sued the league and Reebok in 2004, claiming the deal violated antitrust law. Lower courts threw out the suit. But in what sports fans would call “running up the score,” the NFL is asking the Supreme Court to review the case in hopes of getting a blanket antitrust exemption. Right now, only Major League Baseball has an antitrust exemption, dating from a 1922 Supreme Court decision. The NBA, the NHL, the NCAA, NASCAR, professional tennis and Major League Soccer are supporting the NFL The major credit card companies, Visa and MasterCard, also want the NFL to win, because if the NFL can be considered 32 separate businesses and vulnerable to antitrust lawsuits, then the federation of banks that makes up the credit card network would be in the same position.
FCC bid on ‘net neutrality’ in doubt President Barack Obama makes a statement to reporters about green jobs and manufacturing Friday in the East Room of the White House in Washington. Associated Press
Obama’s buck stopping comes with some caveats News analysis By BEN FELLER Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON — He says “the buck stops with me,” but nearly a year into office President Barack Obama is still blaming a lot of the nation’s troubles — the economy, terrorism, health care — on George W. Bush. Over and over, Obama keeps reminding Americans of the mess he inherited and all he’s doing to fix it. A sharper, give-me-somecredit tone has emerged in his language as he bemoans people’s fleeting memory about what life was like way back in 2008, particularly on the economy. “Yes we can”? Try “Yes I have.” While candid about what he called his team’s “screw-up” in the botched Christmas airliner attack, Obama has made a point of underlining all the good he believes his government has done, too. “Our progress has been unmistakable,” Obama said as the new year began. “We’ve disrupted terrorist financing, cutting off recruiting chains, inflicted major losses on al-Qaida’s leadership, thwarted plots here in the United States and saved countless American lives.” Yet every time Obama tries to offer a dose of perspective like that, he faces the reality that people live in the moment. On terrorism, Americans are less concerned about quiet successes than troubling failures, especially one that evoked harrowing memories of Sept. 11, 2001. On the economy, people prefer good news now, not updates on how things are gradually getting less bad. The way Obama sees it, the problems he took on — recession, war, health care, a warming planet — were always too huge and complicated to fix that fast. So he emphasizes progress by taking people back to where he began. Which means taking them back to Bush. “I don’t need to remind any of you about the situation we found ourselves in at the beginning of this year,” Obama told people at a Home Depot stop last month. And then he reminded them anyway, detailing a nation in financial freefall when he took office. The economy now is both groaning and growing. Gloomy employers just slashed another 85,000 jobs in December, but Obama rarely misses a chance, as he did again Friday, to remind people that, hey, remember the job erosion at the start of the year? About 700,000 a month. That is true, but it doesn’t matter much to the man or woman who is out of work, a point Obama concedes. He’s not just trying to give people context. He’s trying to shore up his standing and his party’s, hoping voters will let it all sink in during this big congressional election year. An overwhelming majority of people say 2009 was a bad year for the country, according to the latest Associated Press-GfK poll. As Democrats head toward midterm elections trying to hang onto control of the House and Senate, half of Americans still think the country is headed in the wrong
direction. Obama needs to show that he gets results. And so he describes a year of overlooked achievement since his predecessor left town, addressing a range of problems: hate crimes, tobacco advertisements toward children, pay disparities for women, abuses by credit card companies and many more. In other words, change from Bush. Except for when Obama sounds just like Bush with tough words for the enemy. “We are destroying training camps, disrupting communications and dismantling air defenses,” Bush said of the mission in Afghanistan in November 2001. Said Obama this week of terrorists seeking to kill Americans: “We are determined not only to thwart those plans but to disrupt, dismantle and defeat their networks once and for all.” When Obama got heat for his government’s decision to try the Sept. 11 mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, in a civilian court, he defended it by saying the justice system has handled other recent terror suspects just fine. He spoke of examples during Bush’s administration. “We’ve done this before,” he said. Even when Obama achieves what he wants, the public doesn’t always seem to share the feeling of success. He may be close to signing what could be the one of the biggest domestic laws in decades, an overhaul of health coverage in America. The House and Senate have passed separate versions and are trying to give Obama a bill to sign within weeks. But the nasty, noisy partisan fights have left many people soured and confused. “I suspect he’s just trying as best he can to give people a sense that what they’ve been experiencing, seeing and reading is not an accurate portrayal of what’s actually gotten done,” said Norman Ornstein, a politics scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. Obama has openly wondered how some of his work is forgotten so fast. “I think we have been successful in averting disaster,” Obama said on Dec. 16 about righting the economy. “You know, you don’t get a lot of credit for that, because nobody knows how bad it could have been.” On this front, Obama often chides the media for what he sees as accentuating the negative and minimizing progress. As on Dec. 4 when Obama mocked the press for saying he had pivoted back from health care to jobs. He insisted that every day is about jobs. “Folks’ attention spans are short,” he said. Not everyone’s. Nearly 15.3 million people are unemployed, an increase of 3.9 million during 2009, and a lot of Americans seem aware that that problem is far from over. A Gallup Poll near the end of the year found 25 percent of people — just one in four — feeling satisfied with how things were going in the United States. “The president himself, not surprisingly, may feel quite satisfied with accomplishments in his first year,” said Frank Newport, editor in chief of the Gallup Poll. “But we don’t see signs that the American public is positive.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Communications Commission ran into a potential setback Friday in its push to draft rules that would require Internet providers to give equal treatment to all data flowing over their networks. In hearing a legal dispute between the agency and Comcast Corp., a three-judge federal appeals court panel questioned the commission’s authority to impose so-called “net neutrality” obligations on the nation’s largest cable TV and Internet operator. Those rules are intended to prevent broadband providers from abusing their control over the market for highspeed Internet access. A decision that goes against the FCC could undermine its ability to impose such rules on all broadband companies — not just Comcast. Friday’s oral arguments centered on Comcast’s challenge of a 2008 FCC order banning the company from blocking its broadband subscribers from using an online file-sharing technology known as BitTorrent. The commission, at the time headed by Republican Kevin Martin, based its order on a set of net-neutrality principles it adopted in 2005 to prevent broadband providers from favoring or discriminating against certain types of Internet traffic. Those principles have guided the FCC’s enforcement of communications laws on a case-by-case basis. Formally adopting those guidelines as binding regulations is a top priority for the FCC’s new Democratic chairman, Julius Genachowski. The agency voted in October to launch a proceeding to write the rules. But with Comcast appealing the FCC order, a key question for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is whether the commission has legal authority to impose such obligations. The three-judge panel appeared skeptical of that on Friday. Still, in a statement following Friday’s arguments, Genachowski he is confident the commission possesses the legal authority it needs “to preserve the free and open Internet.” The dispute over network neutrality has pitted some of the country’s leading Internet companies, including Google Inc. and the calling service Skype, against the big phone and cable operators. The Internet companies say that without such rules, broadband providers could become online gatekeepers and prioritize traffic for those who can pay extra, while degrading or blocking cheaper Internet calling services or online video sites that compete with their core businesses. Indeed, BitTorrent, the online file-sharing technology blocked by Comcast, can be used to transfer large files such as online video, something that threatens Comcast’s cable TV business.
Geithner faces grilling over AIG
Associated Press
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will face a congressional grilling later this month about the suppression of details on deals that funneled billions to big investment banks while he was president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Lawmakers reacted angrily Friday to revelations in e-mails sent in late 2008 and early 2009 between lawyers for the New York Fed and American International Group Inc. The exchanges show the New York Fed wanted AIG to withhold information about deals that sent billions from the taxpayer bailout of AIG to Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Societe Generale and other
major banks. “The lack of transparency and accountability is disturbing enough, but the outstanding question is why the (New York Fed) didn’t fight for a better deal for the American taxpayer,” said Rep. Darrell Issa, the top Republican on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, who first obtained the e-mails. Committee chairman Rep. Edolphus Towns, D-N.Y., said Friday that the e-mails would prompt a review of AIG’s rise and fall and its relationships with the banks that benefited from its bailout. He scheduled a hearing for the week of Jan. 18 and requested
appearances by Geithner and New York Fed General Counsel Thomas Baxter. AIG has become a poster child for Wall Street excess — and a political liability for Geithner. Treasury and the New York Fed say Geithner was not involved in or aware of the matters raised by the e-mails. Yet questions about the company have dogged Geithner since long before the e-mails were released this week. Last year, lawmakers lambasted Geithner after it was revealed that millions in bonuses would go to employees in the AIG division that was most responsible for the company’s needing a $182 billion bailout.
10A — The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010
weather/nation Weather The Daily Courier Weather Today
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Around Our State Today
Statistics provided by Broad River Water Authority through 7 a.m. yesterday.
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0-2: Low, 3-5: Moderate, 6-7: High, 8-10: Very High, 11+: Extreme Exposure
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Precipitation 24 hrs through 7 a.m. yest. .0.00" Month to date . . . . . . . . .0.04" Year to date . . . . . . . . . .0.04"
Barometric Pressure
City
Asheville . . . . . . .27/11 Cape Hatteras . . .35/27 Charlotte . . . . . . .37/17 Fayetteville . . . . .39/19 Greensboro . . . . .36/17 Greenville . . . . . .37/20 Hickory . . . . . . . . . .35/15 Jacksonville . . . .38/17 Kitty Hawk . . . . . .35/27 New Bern . . . . . .37/19 Raleigh . . . . . . . .38/19 Southern Pines . .38/17 Wilmington . . . . .38/21 Winston-Salem . .36/16
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Relative Humidity High yesterday . . . . . . . . .87%
New 1/15
Full 1/30
First 1/23
Monday
Hi/Lo Wx Hi/Lo Wx s s s s s s s s s s s s s s
42/20 45/34 46/23 48/25 45/24 46/24 44/23 49/24 43/32 48/25 46/24 47/25 50/25 45/24
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Weather (Wx): cl/cloudy; pc/partly cloudy; ra/rain; rs/rain & snow; s/sunny; sh/showers; sn/snow; t/thunderstorms; w/windy
Last 2/5
North Carolina Forecast Durham 38/17
Winston-Salem 36/16 Greensboro 36/17
Asheville 27/11
Forest City 36/14 Charlotte 37/17
Today
City
Raleigh 38/19
.36/16 .31/19 .23/17 .25/20 .21/15 .74/52 .50/40 .28/21 .30/17 .54/44 .62/49 .53/43 .51/28 .31/18
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Today’s National Map
Monday
43/21 39/24 26/21 25/19 25/15 73/53 63/49 35/25 35/23 53/48 59/52 52/45 59/36 41/24
Kinston 37/19 Wilmington 38/21
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Hi/Lo Wx Hi/Lo Wx
Atlanta . . . . . . . . Baltimore . . . . . . Chicago . . . . . . . Detroit . . . . . . . . Indianapolis . . . Los Angeles . . . Miami . . . . . . . . . New York . . . . . . Philadelphia . . . Sacramento . . . . San Francisco . . Seattle . . . . . . . . Tampa . . . . . . . . Washington, DC
Greenville 37/20
Fayetteville 39/19
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
Across Our Nation
Elizabeth City 37/21
s s sn sn sn s pc s s pc pc ra s s
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Nation Today Officer shot several times
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — An Anchorage police officer was shot several times as he sat in his parked patrol car early Saturday in an apparent drive-by shooting, a police spokesman said. The officer was in a residential area near downtown after taking a report about an assault that had occurred elsewhere in the city. Someone then drove up to the side of the cruiser and opened fire at about 2 a.m., police spokesman Lt. Dave Parker said. A dark-colored early 1990s sedan was seen leaving the scene, police said. The officer, who wasn’t immediately identified, was taken to an Anchorage hospital.
Husband moving
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (AP) — The husband of a missing Utah woman was moving out of the couple’s home in a Salt Lake City suburb to Washington state Saturday, and police said they couldn’t prevent the move. West Valley City Police have named Josh Powell the only person of interest in the Dec. 7 disappearance of Susan Powell, but he has not been named a suspect. “We cannot and are not limiting his ability to move freely,” police Capt. Tom McLachlan told The Associated Press on Saturday. Susan Powell has been missing since Dec. 7. She was last seen by her husband, who said he left on a winter camping trip with the couple’s children at about 12:30 a.m. that day. “He has not been cooperating with us very much up to this point,” McLachlan said. McLachlan declined to comment on whether his department has been in contact with Washington state authorities. Asked by reporters if he wanted to
say anything before he briefly left his home around noon Saturday, Josh Powell replied “no.”
Hawaii can’t afford vote HONOLULU (AP) — Cashstrapped Hawaii can’t afford to pay for an election to replace a congressman who is planning to step down next month to run for governor, potentially leaving 600,000 urban Honolulu residents without representation in Washington. Budget cuts have left the state Office of Elections with about $5,000 to last until July, with a special election costing nearly $1 million, interim Chief Elections Officer Scott Nago said. Until the state finds money or this fall’s regularly scheduled elections occur, one of Hawaii’s two seats in the House of Representatives will remain vacant.
911 tapes detail shooting. TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Newly released 911 tapes reveal the horrifying minutes after a shootout in Washington state that killed a Pierce County sheriff’s officer and the gunman, and wounded another deputy. In the tapes of the Dec. 21 shootout, a deputy later determined to be sheriff’s Sgt. Nick Hausner shouts into his radio, “I have been shot,” setting off a frantic search for who made the call. Authorities say 35-year-old David Crable ambushed the deputies who had responded to a domestic disturbance call. Crable was shot and killed at the home, while Deputy Kent Mundell died a week later. Hausner is recovering The tapes underscore the bravery of Crable’s 16-year-old daughter, who tried to wrestle away her father’s gun, aided the wounded Hausner and ran to a neighboring home for help.
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Associated Press
In this Jan. 6 file photo House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, seen with House Ways and Means Chairman Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., left, and House Education and Labor Chairman Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., right, speaks to media outside the West Wing of the White House after meeting with President Barack Obama in Washington.
Report: Senate health bill would raise costs slightly WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate’s plan to expand health coverage to 34 million more Americans would raise costs slightly, government economic experts said in a report Saturday. Over time, cost-cutting measures could start to reduce the annual increases in health care spending, offering the possibility of substantial savings in the long run. At the same time, however, some of the Senate’s Medicare savings could be unrealistic and cause lawmakers to roll them back, according to Medicare’s top number crunchers. The study found that health spending, which accounts for about onesixth of the economy, would increase by less than 1 percent than it otherwise would over the coming decade even with so many more people receiving coverage. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said the report shows the Senate bill would slow the rate of health care costs, strengthen Medicare and provide millions more people with insurance coverage. President Barack Obama used his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday to play up the brighter side of the overhaul he hopes to sign in time for his first State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in a matter of weeks. He said it would ban “the worst practices of the insurance industry” even as he acknowledged it would take several years — until 2014 in some instances — for some of the changes to be fully in place. That has disappointed consumers and their advocates. “Now, it’ll take a few years to fully implement these reforms in a responsible way,” the president said. “But what every American should know is that once I sign health insurance reform into law, there are dozens of protections and benefits that will take effect this year.” Among them, Obama said: n People with illnesses or medical conditions will be able to buy affordable health insurance. n Children with such conditions will no longer be denied coverage. n Small-business owners who can’t afford to cover their employees will
get tax credits to help them do so. n Insurance companies will be required to offer free preventive care to their customers and will be prohibited from dropping coverage when someone becomes ill. “In short, once I sign health insurance reform into law, doctors and patients will have more control over their health care decisions and insurance company bureaucrats will have less,” Obama said. “All told, these changes represent the most sweeping reforms and toughest restrictions on insurance companies that this country has ever known.” House and Senate versions of the overhaul would require nearly all Americans to get coverage and provide subsidies for many who can’t afford the cost, but they differ on the details. Among the remaining sticking points are whom to tax, how many people to cover, how to restrict taxpayer funding for abortion and whether illegal immigrants should be allowed to use their own money to buy coverage in new insurance markets. Obama had several meetings with Democratic lawmakers at the White House this week to help resolve those differences. In one instance, he signaled to House Democratic leaders that they must drop their opposition to taxing high-end insurance plans to pay to extend coverage to millions of uninsured people. The tax, which is in the Senate bill, is largely opposed by House Democrats and organized labor. Saturday’s report cited this tax on “Cadillac” health plans, as well as reductions in annual increases to Medicare providers, as having potential to hold down costs. But the authors were skeptical that Congress could stand the political fallout, noting that the Medicare cuts “may be unrealistic.” At the same time, the proposed 40 percent excise tax on high-cost health plans would hit more and more people over time, virtually guaranteeing lawmakers would feel pressure to ease the tax. Republican lawmakers, saying the bills cost too much and impose too much government control, are near unanimous in opposing the legislation.
Reid apologizes to Obama WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid apologized on Saturday for saying Barack Obama should seek — and could win — the White House because Obama was a “light skinned” AfricanAmerican “with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one.” Obama quickly accepted, saying “As far as I am concerned, the book is closed.” Reid made the comments in private during the long 2008 campaign, according to a new book about that election, which elevated Obama from first-term Illinois senator to the first black president. After excerpts from the book
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appeared on the Web site of The Atlantic, Reid released a statement expressing regret for “using such a poor choice of words. I sincerely apologize for offending any and all Americans, especially AfricanAmericans for my improper comments.” Obama issued a statement saying he had spoken with Reid, who faces a difficult re-election amid frustration from both liberals and conservatives with his leadership in the Senate and his agenda. For Reid, trailing in polls, the comments can’t help, even as Obama relies heavily on him to try to pass a health care overhaul.
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The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010 — 11A
Nation/world World Today Bomb explodes in central Athens
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Police say a bomb has exploded near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Parliament in central Athens. They say nobody was injured in the blast. An anonymous caller had telephoned a national newspaper about 17 minutes earlier warning that a bomb had been planted, and police had cordoned off the area before Saturday’s blast, shutting down a major avenue in the center of the capital.
People are sledding in Wollaton Park, Nottingham as the cold snap continues in the United Kingdom, Wednesday. A brutal winter front has gripped much of Europe for the past two weeks and continues to cause problems.
Team leaves after deadly ambush
CABINDA, Angola (AP) — Hosting the African Cup of Nations was Angola’s chance to show it is recovering from decades of war. But gunmen sprayed bullets at Togo’s national team, killing three people and forcing its withdrawal from the soccer tournament. Africa’s main soccer tournament was expected to open as planned on Sunday, even though players from other countries expressed shock at the ambush on the Togo team bus as it traveled through Angola’s restive oil-rich Cabinda province.
Fate of Iraqi parties in balance
BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s electoral commission will decide within days whether to ban 15 political parties from running in March polls because their leaders allegedly have links to former dictator Saddam Hussein, a spokesman said Saturday. The move could threaten attempts to draw former supporters of the insurgency into the political process, a key plank in the U.S. strategy to stabilize the country as American troops withdraw.
Karzai presents new Cabinet list
KABUL (AP) — A week after parliament rejected 70 percent of his Cabinet choices, the Afghan president on Saturday submitted a new slate of 16 nominees that included three women, political allies and his longtime national security adviser for the key foreign minister post. Lawmakers indicated President Hamid Karzai faced another uphill battle in getting his second lineup approved. Critics said some nominees lacked the necessary credentials, had been picked as paybacks to supporters who helped get the president get re-elected, or were too closely aligned with warlords.
Suspected US missile strike kills 2
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Two intelligence officials say a suspected U.S. missile strike has killed two people in Pakistan’s North Waziristan tribal region. The Saturday strike was the sixth in about a week in the area. Two missiles fired by a suspected unmanned drone hit a house in Data Khel, an area that is a stronghold of the Haqqani militant network. The intelligence officials say three people have also been wounded.
Canadian police release man
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — An anti-energy industry activist arrested in connection with the investigation into a series of pipeline bombings in northeastern British Columbia was released Saturday without being charged, his lawyer said. Lawyer Paul Moreau said the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have not given any reasons for why they released his client, Wiebo Ludwig, after arresting him Friday at a motel in the western Alberta town of Grande Prairie. “They have declined to explain, at least to me, why they are releasing him without charging him, and it’s going to make for some interesting questions for someone to ask the RCMP,” said Moreau.
Associated Press
Front freezing much of Europe BERLIN (AP) — A plane slid off an icy runway and powerful winds and heavy snow forced hundreds of flight cancellations across Europe on Saturday as blasts of freezing cold buffeted Europe. An Air Berlin plane slid off the runway in Nuremberg, Germany, and got stuck in the snow late Friday. Nobody was injured, but the airport was closed for more than two hours. More than 300 car accidents were reported on icy streets in the southwestern state of BadenWuerttemberg, with more than 40 people injured. The western state of North Rhine-Westphalia reported 108 accidents. At the German-French border near Freiburg, hundreds of trucks were stuck for hours when French authorities closed the highway because of heavy snow. The Red Cross handed out blankets and hot soup to the drivers. By early afternoon, 226 domestic and international flights had been canceled at Frankfurt airport as a low pressure system from the Mediterranean brought gusty winds and several inches (centimeters) of snow. Crews struggled to clear the runways, and the few planes that managed to take off had to be deiced first, said Frankfurt airport duty manager Heinz Fass. In Britain, cold winds swept in from the north, sending temperatures tumbling to minus 14 degrees Celsius (7 degrees Fahrenheit) in parts of Scotland
and northern England. The country is in the midst of its longest cold snap in three decades, and transport has been disrupted in many areas. The arctic weather — unusual by Britain’s temperate standards — led to record demand for gas. In a Web cast Saturday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown reassured Britons that gas supplies were not running out, even though almost 100 businesses had been asked to stop using gas to conserve supplies. Supplies of salt and sand for gritting dangerously icy roads were also running low. Heavy snow forced the cancellation of all flights at Dublin Airport in Ireland. Traffic at London’s Heathrow Airport, Europe’s busiest, was also affected, with British Airways alone canceling around 50 flights. Schoenefeld and Tegel, the main airports in Berlin, as well as Munich airport, also reported cancellations. In France, dozens of flights were canceled in Toulouse, Lyon and Brest. Heavy snow snapped power lines in the southeast, near the Mediterranean, leaving at least 7,500 homes without power. And at least 12 French Cup soccer matches had to be rescheduled because of the cold, the French football federation said. But conditions improved in Paris, and late Saturday France’s civil aviation authority lifted an order requiring the cancellation of one flight in four at Charles de
Gaulle Airport, France’s busiest. Wind whipped the snow into yard-high drifts along the Baltic coast of northeast Germany, making roads impassable. Radio stations reported that several villages on the Baltic island of Ruegen were completely cut off. On Fehrmarn, another Baltic island, farmers were being asked to use their farm machinery to help clear the roads, said Volker Kluetmann, an island official. “The snow is so high that even the snow plows get stuck,” Kluetmann said. In Berlin, even the mice were desperate to escape the cold: Swarms of them have taken over the Bundestag, the country’s parliament, the daily newspaper Bild reported. The weather has been brutal by Britain’s temperate standards, and local authorities across the country are running out of salt and sand. A clutch of sporting events has been canceled — including five of the seven scheduled Premier League soccer games scheduled for Saturday. In Sweden, overnight temperatures dropped as low as -31 Fahrenheit (-35 Celsius) inland. Linkoping, a university town 125 miles (200 kilometers) southwest of Stockholm, recorded its lowest temperature since 1979, hitting -16 Fahrenheit, the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute said. On Friday the agency reported that the Baltic Sea was covered by ice that was 40 centimeters thick in places.
On tape, CIA bomber calls for attacks ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Jordanian doctor who killed seven CIA employees in a suicide attack in Afghanistan said in a video broadcast posthumously Saturday that all jihadists must attack U.S. targets to avenge the death of Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud. The video showed Humam Khalil Abu Mulal al-Balawi — whom the CIA had cultivated as an asset against al-Qaida — sitting with Mehsud’s successor in
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an undisclosed location. It essentially confirmed the Pakistani Taliban’s claim of responsibility for one of the worst attacks in CIA history, though a senior militant told The AP that al-Qaida and Afghan insurgents played roles, too. Speaking in Arabic in the video shown on al-Jazeera, the Arabic network, and Aaj, a Pakistani channel, al-Balawi noted the Pakistani Taliban had given shelter to “emigrants” — Muslim
fighters from abroad. The 32-year-old al-Balawi was apparently a double agent — perhaps even a triple-agent — with links to al-Qaida, the CIA and Jordanian intelligence. He was invited inside the CIA facility in Afghanistan’s eastern Khost province bearing a promise of information about Ayman alZawahri, al-Qaida’s second-incommand. Instead, he blew himself up, killing seven including the CIA’s base chief.
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(Pictured Cathy Whitmire, Certified Dietary Manager, Vesteen Logan, Alice Dixon, Administrator) Vesteen Logan was awarded Employee of the Year in December at the Employee Annual Awards Ceremony. Vesteen has been employed at Autumn Care since 2004 as a Dietary Aide. She takes great pride in her work and is always willing to help her peers in any way possible. She always offers a smile and goes above and beyond without being asked.
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Vesteen Logan has been married to Clarence Logan for 47 years and they live in Spindale. She is a member of Wellspring United Methodist Church. In February Vesteen will attend the Corporate Employee of the Year Banquet in Rocky Mount, NC where she will compete with 23 Autumn Facilities from Virginia and North Carolina for the Corporate Employee of the Year. Vesteen retired December 30th, 2009 but has asked to remain part time as needed.
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12A — The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010
Local/State
Teen learning what it means to be a cop By SHELLEY SMITH Salisbury Post
SALISBURY (AP) — When 17-yearold Carlos Ellis was growing up, he had to deal with things most young children couldn’t even imagine. “Growing up, we didn’t have any food in our house, we slept on a mattress on the floor, and we never had a Christmas,” said Carlos, who, at the age of 5, had to also deal with the death of his twin brother. His other sister was taken away to foster care shortly after, and he and his older brother were put into foster care after that. The rough patches in Ellis’ past have shaped him into the responsible young adult he is today. And he’s gotten a lot of knowledge and support from his three years’ experience as a Salisbury Police Explorer. “I found out about the Police Explorers program at school, through our school resource officer,” Carlos said. When Carlos was a child, his mother worked for the Salisbury Police Department and would show him off around the department. “I guess I caught the bug through my mother,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to be a police officer.” Carlos enjoys the ride-alongs with police officers. “Every time I do a ride-along I learn something new about being a police officer,” Carlos said. He also enjoys the K9, self defense, SWAT and traffic stop training sessions offered through the Police Explorers program. A senior at North Rowan High School, Carlos plans to push his Police Explorer experience further and become a police officer after college. He plans to attend RCCC to pursue an associate’s degree, and transfer to Livingstone to attain a degree in criminal justice. “After patrolling, I would like to help with the domestic violence branch of the department,” Carlos said. “I was involved with domestic violence growing up, and there’s a lot of it in Salisbury. “I think I can help people and help to get people off the streets to make
communities safe.” Lt. Rodney Harris, who heads up the Police Explorers group, said Carlos is an example of what the program is designed to do. “Young men like him look for role models and look for belonging,” Harris said. “He has allowed me to mentor him. The growth and maturity I’ve seen in him over the past three years is unbelievable.” Harris said Carlos is always willing to go the extra mile to help others and always willing to learn. “Carlos lives to help others,” he said. “Any community event, anything I ask him to do, he’s going to do it without complaint. “He will sacrifice himself for others. He has the heart, and he’s compassionate, and he understands the main objective of being a police officer is helping. “He has the basic tools and qualities to become a great police officer.” Harris said Carlos is so dedicated to the Police Explorers program, he would be helping at the department every day if he could. “Carlos lives to please himself and the Salisbury Police Department,” Harris said. “He’s a leader. And with his kind of dedication, he’ll be successful.” Lt. Karen Barbee calls Carlos “something special.” “We really appreciate Carlos,” Barbee said. “His enthusiasm, his spirit and his willingness to do the right thing is what will make him an excellent police officer.” Barbee recalled one day in particular in which Carlos worked nearly 24 hours for the department. “The day of the Livingstone Homecoming parade, I picked him up that morning at 7:30. He stayed with us throughout the parade, football game, step show and after party. I took him back home about 3:30 a.m. He worked the entire time.” Barbee said Carlos also helps her voluntarily with the career closet, a closet of clothes for the battered women’s shelter. “The Police Explorers is built on a team concept, and helps to create mature, responsible adults,” Harris said.
Contributed photo
Margaret Flinsch also donated a portion of what is now the Conservancy’s Rainbow Falls preserve in 2005.
Flinsch helps expand Conservancy’s reach FOREST CITY – Today, The Nature Conservancy owns 1,800 acres in Hickory Nut Gorge and has partnered to protect another 4,900 acres that are part of the state park system. All of that work began back in 1981 when Margaret Flinsch donated the Bat Cave Preserve to the Conservancy.
that this area has remained largely undisturbed over time. The area is important for wildlife, because the mature oaks and hickory trees that cover the slopes provide valuable food for animals at different ends of the Gorge’s food chain—from deer, bear and turkey to squirrels and wood rats.
Since that time, Flinsch, 102, has worked with the Conservancy to protect 164 acres in Hickory Nut Gorge. Today, Flinsch is building on that history by donating a conservation easement on 95 acres in the gorge. The conservation easement is on the north wall of the gorge. It connects to the Conservancy’s Rainbow Falls Preserve.
“Hickory Nut Gorge is an amazing area. Much of it is now protected so that everyone can enjoy its grandeur,” says David Ray, the Conservancy’s Mountains Project Director. “Margaret Flinsch is one of the people who are responsible for this conservation. “She really got the ball rolling when she donated Bat Cave back in 1981. She continues at the age of 102 to build on this conservation work,” he said. “We are blessed to have folks like her.” The conservation easement prohibits construction of buildings on the property, ensuring that it will remain in its natural state.
Both are part of the Bald Mountain/Round Top Mountain area that is classified as nationally significant by the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program, which inventories, catalogs and facilitates protection of the rarest and the most outstanding elements of the natural diversity of the state. The area is home to the rare lampshade spider, which gets its name from its web that looks like a lampshade, and large numbers of the rare biltmore carrion-flower. The presence of timber rattlesnakes indicates
Flinsch also donated a portion of what is now the Conservancy’s Rainbow Falls preserve in 2005. Together with a 2003 purchase and Flinsch’s conservation easement donation, the Conservancy has protected 257 acres on the south face of Hickory Nut Gorge’s Bald Mountain.
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Brides-to-be were able to get information and make contact with possible wedding vendors at the first Blue Ridge Wedding Show held Saturday at the new carolina Event and Conference Center on Hudlow Road.
The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010 — 1B
Inside Scoreboard . . . . . . . . . Page 2B NCAA . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3B NFL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8B
Off The Wall
‘Ouch, It Stung Me!’
Scott Bowers
Dances with wounded Longhorns Let’s pretend for a moment that you have a friend. Hmm, that may not read like I want it too, but just go with it. And let us pretend that this ‘friend,’ is always giving you grief about this or that game, this or that team, and/or this or that prediction. So, one day your ‘friend,’ says, “Who’s going to win the BCS?” You calmly reply, “Alabama.” Now, it turns out that you indeed were correct. But it’s hard to feel really pumped up about it, isn’t it? I picked Alabama and I feel none of that euphoric, on-topof-the-world, chest pumped out righteousness. This is Colt McCoy’s fault. McCoy got blasted on his throwing arm on just the fifth play from scrimmage and left the game. Just moments before the helmet-to-shoulder hit, which I am sure will soon be illegal in the NFL, McCoy had the Longhorns of Texas poised to jump to an early lead. In fact, I wonder if the Longhorns had taken an early 10-0 or 14-0 lead how that game would have played out — with or without McCoy. McCoy is listed at 215 pounds, and that is up from his freshman weight of 185 pounds, but I still think someone in Texas is reading the scale wrong. McCoy reminds me a whole lot of former Independence/ Florida QB Chris Leak. Leak could make any throw on a football field, had a great eye for coverage, and a quick mind to go with just-quick-enough feet, but Leak, like McCoy, was ‘football’ little. Today’s NFL star QBs stand 6-foot-5, and soon many QBs will be hovering closer to 6-6 or 6-7. The days of the Doug Flutie are appearing to be over. One of the 6-foot QBs will need to make a huge splash in the NFL if the trend is to be reversed. Or, at least slowed down. Humans are either growing, or mutating, to taller and taller heights. The average male stands roughly four inches taller than the average male of two centuries ago, which means that Julius Caesar was 3-foot-8 (I would so crush you, Caesar). My math may be faulty and I digress. McCoy is a lot like Tim Tebow, a natural winner. McCoy will leave Texas this spring as the all-time winningest QB in the NCAA with a remarkable 45 wins in 52 games. But, like Tebow, McCoy’s future is murky at best. In addition to his smaller frame, the hit he sustained on his throwing shoulder may give NFL teams pause when the draft rolls around in April. And that is why I can’t feel all genius-like with my pick of Alabama this past week. The Crimson Tide have potential stars all over the field — Mark Ingram, Rolando McClain, Terrence Cody, Javier Arenas and Julio Jones to name but a few. And, clearly, those stars all had good games, but with McCoy on the sideline watching and Garrett Gilbert taking snaps the Longhorns still came within a few plays of ending the SEC’s dominance and upending No. 1 Bama. In the end, the little guy that ‘just won,’ was left walking off the field with a loss and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for a kid who may never again get a chance to be a winner.
Georgia Tech’s Gani Luwal is surrounded by students as he leaves the court after defeating No. 5 Duke 71-67 in an NCAA college basketball game on Saturday, in Atlanta. Associated Press
Yellow Jackets topple No. 6 Duke ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Tech was a team on a mission. It showed. Duke was just plain tired. That showed, too. Gani Lawal scored 21 points, including a crucial shot with just over a minute remaining, and No. 20 Georgia Tech bounced back from a dismal loss with a 71-67 upset of the fifth-ranked Blue Devils on Saturday. The Yellow Jackets avoided an 0-2 start in conference play and made up for Tuesday’s 73-66 loss to state rival Georgia, a team that doesn’t have nearly as much as talent. “This was a great bounce-back win,” Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt said. “The guys were really disappointed about that game the other night.” Lawal worked the boards hard, putting back two straight misses during one pivotal stretch, and Georgia Tech (12-3, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) went ahead for good on yet another hustle play. Zachery Peacock grabbed an airball under the basket and flipped in a shot that put Georgia Tech ahead 62-60 with 1:52 remaining. After Kyle Singler missed again for Duke (13-2, 1-1) on a 3-pointer — the junior forward was 2 for 13 from the field — Lawal knocked down an awkward turnaround jumper from about 10 feet to give the Yellow Jackets some breathing room. “I’ve practiced that shot. I knew it was good when it left my hand,” Lawal said. “I told the guys, ’Just find a way to get me the ball.”’ The Blue Devils were stymied by a miserable performance beyond the arc (6 for 28 on 3-pointers), had their slim depth exposed by foul trouble (Lance Thomas picked up his fifth with more than 10 minPlease see Duke, Page 3B
Associated Press
Duke’s Jon Scheyer (30) passes as Georgia Tech’s Gani Lawal (31) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Saturday, in Atlanta.
Virgina beats NC State in ACC opener RALEIGH (AP) — Tony Bennett has simple goals for his first Virginia squad: play hard, play smart and don’t make it easy for an opponent to beat you. The Cavaliers lived up to all that in his first Atlantic Coast Conference game. Trailing by 10 points midway through the second half, the Cavaliers rallied to get back in the game and played with cool composure in the final 5 1/2 minutes to beat North Carolina State 70-62 on Saturday. It gave Bennett his first ACC victory with the Cavaliers, while the program won its league opener for just the third time in 15 seasons. Bennett said coaching in the traditionrich ACC was one of the draws that lured him from Washington State. He clearly had plenty to feel good about following his first taste of league play. “I didn’t really come in with any expectations,” Bennett said. “It’s an unbelievable opportunity and with that comes a great challenge. I just know that when conference play starts and you’re on the road, you’d better be locked in.” The Cavaliers (9-4, 1-0) sure looked that way in the final 10 minutes. They didn’t panic when the Wolfpack (11-5, 0-2) pushed ahead to rev up its home crowd and even thrived in the critical final minutes. That included knocking down just about every free throw in the game, including a perfect 10-for-10 mark Please see NC State, Page 3B
North Carolina State’s Dennis Horner (31) shoots between Virginia’s Sammy Zeglinski, left, and Will Sherrill during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, at the RBC Center in Raleigh. Virginia won 70-62. Associated Press
2B — The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010
sports
Scoreboard FOOTBALL NFL Playoff Glance Wild-card Playoffs Saturday, Jan. 9 N.Y. Jets 24, Cincinnati 14 Philadelphia at Dallas, late Sunday, Jan. 10 Baltimore at New England, 1 p.m. (CBS) Green Bay at Arizona, 4:40 p.m. (FOX) Divisional Playoffs Saturday, Jan. 16 Philadelphia, Green Bay or Arizona at New Orleans, 4:30 p.m. (FOX) Baltimore or N.Y. Jets at Indianapolis, 8:15 p.m. (CBS) Sunday, Jan. 17 Dallas, Green Bay or Arizona at Minnesota, 1 p.m. (FOX) New England or N.Y. Jets at San Diego, 4:40 p.m. (CBS) Conference Championships Sunday, Jan. 24 AFC, 3 p.m. (CBS) NFC, 6:40 p.m. (FOX) Pro Bowl Sunday, Jan. 31 At Miami AFC vs. NFC, 7:20 p.m. (ESPN)
Associated Press
Charlotte Bobcats’ Gerald Wallace, center, drives between Memphis Grizzlies’ Rudy Gay, right, and O.J. Mayo, left, in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, Saturday.
Wallace tip-in pushes Bobcats past Memphis
CHARLOTTE (AP) — Gerald Wallace tipped in Raymond Felton’s missed shot at the buzzer to give the Charlotte Bobcats an 89-87 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night to continue their home dominance. Moments after O.J. Mayo’s 3-pointer tied it, Felton drove to the basket on DeMarre Carroll. His floater was too strong and didn’t hit iron, but Wallace leaped over Zach Randolph and put it through as time expired. Wallace tumbled to the floor, then jumped up and was mobbed by his teammates. Felton scored 19 points and Wallace had 18 points and eight rebounds for the Bobcats.
Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 7 At Miami NFC champion vs. AFC champion, 6:25 p.m. (CBS)
BASKETBALL National Basketball Association EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division W L Pct Boston 25 9 .735 Toronto 19 18 .514 New York 15 20 .429 Philadelphia 10 25 .286 New Jersey 3 33 .083 Southeast Division W L Pct Orlando 24 12 .667 Atlanta 23 12 .657 Miami 18 16 .529 Charlotte 15 19 .441 Washington 12 22 .353 Central Division W L Pct Cleveland 28 10 .737 Milwaukee 15 18 .455 Chicago 14 20 .412 Detroit 11 23 .324 Indiana 11 24 .314 WESTERN CONFERENCE Southwest Division W L Pct Dallas 25 11 .694 San Antonio 21 13 .618 Houston 20 16 .556 New Orleans 18 16 .529 Memphis 18 17 .514 Northwest Division W L Pct Denver 23 13 .639 Portland 23 15 .605 Oklahoma City 19 16 .543 Utah 19 17 .528 Minnesota 8 29 .216 Pacific Division W L Pct L.A. Lakers 28 8 .778 Phoenix 23 14 .622 L.A. Clippers 16 18 .471 Sacramento 14 21 .400 Golden State 11 24 .314
GB — 7 1/2 10 1/2 15 1/2 23 GB — 1/2 5 8 11 GB — 10 1/2 12 15 15 1/2 GB — 3 5 6 6 1/2 GB — 1 3 1/2 4 15 1/2 GB — 5 1/2 11 13 1/2 16 1/2
Friday’s Games Washington 104, Orlando 97 Toronto 108, Philadelphia 106 Atlanta 93, Boston 85 Memphis 91, Utah 89 New Orleans 103, New Jersey 99 Minnesota 116, Indiana 109 Milwaukee 96, Chicago 93 Dallas 112, San Antonio 103 Miami 109, Phoenix 105 Portland 107, L.A. Lakers 98 Golden State 108, Sacramento 101 Denver 99, Cleveland 97 Saturday’s Games Charlotte 89, Memphis 87 Orlando 113, Atlanta 81 Philadelphia at Detroit, late Indiana at Oklahoma City, late Minnesota at Chicago, late New York at Houston, late Utah at Dallas, late Denver at Sacramento, late Sunday’s Games Boston at Toronto, 1 p.m. New Orleans at Washington, 1 p.m. Miami at L.A. Clippers, 3:30 p.m. New Jersey at San Antonio, 7 p.m. Cleveland at Portland, 9 p.m. Milwaukee at L.A. Lakers, 9:30 p.m. Saturday’s College Basketball Major Scores EAST Boston U. 84, Hartford 70 Buffalo 73, Miami (Ohio) 55 Colgate 68, Army 58, OT Georgetown 72, Connecticut 69 Harvard 76, Dartmouth 47 Iona 69, Rider 49 Lafayette 84, Holy Cross 74 Long Island U. 89, St. Francis, Pa. 80 Mount St. Mary’s, Md. 69, Sacred Heart 65 Quinnipiac 78, Wagner 66 Robert Morris 67, St. Francis, NY 63 Saint Joseph’s 82, Fordham 69 Siena 83, Niagara 65 Villanova 78, Marquette 76 William & Mary 73, Drexel 48 Yale 79, N.J. Tech 48 SOUTH Alabama 66, LSU 49 Appalachian St. 78, Davidson 68 Arkansas St. 69, South Alabama 63 Bethune-Cookman 77, Norfolk St. 61 Charleston Southern 77, UNC Asheville 74, OT Clemson 72, Boston College 56 Delaware St. 49, Winston-Salem 48 George Mason 59, UNC Wilmington 46 Georgia Southern 81, W. Carolina 76 Georgia Tech 71, Duke 67 James Madison 69, Towson 66 Kentucky 76, Georgia 68 Louisville 75, St. John’s 68 Mercer 83, ETSU 78 Mississippi St. 80, Mississippi 75 Morehead St. 78, Jacksonville St. 71 Morgan St. 90, Howard 58 Northeastern 66, Georgia St. 54 Old Dominion 57, Hofstra 46 S. Carolina St. 80, Md.-Eastern Shore 67 SE Louisiana 78, Lamar 56 South Carolina 80, Auburn 71 UCF 77, Rice 58 UNC Greensboro 88, Furman 78 UTSA 78, McNeese St. 69 Va. Commonwealth 77, Delaware 64 Vanderbilt 95, Florida 87 Virginia 70, N.C. State 62 Winthrop 65, Liberty 62 MIDWEST Cent. Michigan 59, Toledo 48 Cleveland St. 70, Ill.-Chicago 63 Dayton 78, Duquesne 72, OT E. Illinois 88, SE Missouri 68 Iowa St. 73, N. Dakota St. 71 Kent St. 62, Ohio 60 Michigan St. 71, Iowa 53 Minnesota 73, Ohio St. 62 Missouri 74, Kansas St. 68 Missouri St. 88, Bradley 69 N. Illinois 62, Ball St. 48
N. Iowa 59, Illinois St. 44 Saint Louis 63, Richmond 58 W. Michigan 61, E. Michigan 47 Wichita St. 70, Creighton 58 Wis.-Milwaukee 71, Wis.-Green Bay 51 Wisconsin 73, Purdue 66 SOUTHWEST North Texas 71, New Orleans 57 SMU 78, N.C. Central 50 Sam Houston St. 66, Stephen F.Austin 57 Texas 103, Colorado 86 Texas A&M 64, Nebraska 53 Texas A&M-CC 64, Cent. Arkansas 59 Texas St. 64, Texas-Arlington 60
HOCKEY National Hockey League EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division GP W L OT Pts GF New Jersey 41 30 10 1 61 122 Pittsburgh 45 27 17 1 55 142 N.Y. Rangers 44 21 17 6 48 117 Philadelphia 43 21 19 3 45 130 N.Y. Islanders 45 18 19 8 44 113 Northeast Division GP W L OT Pts GF Buffalo 43 28 11 4 60 120 Boston 43 22 14 7 51 113 Ottawa 44 22 18 4 48 125 Montreal 46 22 21 3 47 118 Toronto 45 15 21 9 39 122 Southeast Division GP W L OT Pts GF Washington 43 26 11 6 58 154 Atlanta 43 19 18 6 44 136 Tampa Bay 42 16 16 10 42 106 Florida 44 17 20 7 41 125 Carolina 43 12 24 7 31 106 WESTERN CONFERENCE Central Division GP W L OT Pts GF Chicago 44 31 10 3 65 146 Nashville 44 26 15 3 55 126 Detroit 43 22 15 6 50 111 Columbus 46 17 20 9 43 122 St. Louis 43 17 19 7 41 111 Northwest Division GP W L OT Pts GF Vancouver 44 27 16 1 55 143 Calgary 44 25 14 5 55 120 Colorado 45 24 15 6 54 131 Minnesota 44 21 20 3 45 116 Edmonton 44 16 23 5 37 121 Pacific Division GP W L OT Pts GF San Jose 44 28 9 7 63 146 Phoenix 45 26 15 4 56 116 Los Angeles 44 25 16 3 53 131 Dallas 44 19 14 11 49 128 Anaheim 44 18 19 7 43 123
GA 89 125 121 124 140 GA 98 104 134 124 156 GA 120 141 126 140 151 GA 93 124 109 154 127 GA 106 106 129 129 147 GA 113 107 124 139 140
Friday’s Games Carolina 2, Colorado 1 Tampa Bay at New Jersey, 7 p.m. Buffalo 3, Toronto 2 Dallas 4, N.Y. Islanders 3 Columbus 3, Calgary 2 Saturday’s Games N.Y. Rangers 3, Boston 1 Florida 3, Ottawa 0 Pittsburgh 4, Toronto 1 Washington 8, Atlanta 1 Colorado at Buffalo, late Philadelphia 4, Tampa Bay 1 New Jersey 2, Montreal 1, OT Anaheim at Nashville, late Chicago at Minnesota, late N.Y. Islanders at Phoenix, late Calgary at Vancouver, late Detroit at San Jose, late St. Louis at Los Angeles, late Sunday’s Games Ottawa at Carolina, 5 p.m. Anaheim at Chicago, 7 p.m. Dallas at Columbus, 7 p.m.
No. 9 North Carolina ready for ACC opener CHAPEL HILL — Ninthranked North Carolina kicks off ACC play tonight against Virginia Tech, but the Tar Heels enter the conference portion of their schedule not looking like the team many expected them to be at this point in the season. The Tar Heels have been beset by injuries, have lacked effort in some games, the highly touted freshmen have been slow to catch on and six days ago they were upset by the College of Charleston in overtime. But despite all that, senior Deon Thompson still believes UNC’s confidence is high. “You win games, you lose games,” said Thompson, whose
team host the Hokies tonight (7:45 p.m., Fox Sports). “We still know we have all the pieces to be a great team and do a lot of good things when March and April comes.” After the loss in Charleston, Williams said UNC (11-4) was “about as low as we can be.” On Friday, he said the confidence level is not where he wanted it to be headed into ACC play but, like Thompson, he didn’t see it as a huge problem. “I don’t think we’re at a point where we have to worry [about confidence] because they’re all pretty cocky, too — which is one of the problems, too,” Williams said. For example, Williams asked freshmen Dexter Strickland and
Leslie McDonald if they’d ever heard of College of Charleston guard Andrew Goudelock before Monday’s game when he had 24 points, including a game tying 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds remaining. The answer was no, and Williams told them Goudelock had just kicked their tails from one end of the court to the other. Williams said it’s a fine line between instilling confidence and being realistic with players, and sometimes young players just have to learn the hard way. “When you have a highly recruited class, they think they’re really, really good and nobody else is any good,” Williams said. “Well, there’s really a lot of good players.”
DAVIDSON (AP) — Donald Sims scored 44 points and Appalachian State snapped a three-game losing streak with a 78-68 win over Davidson on Saturday. Isaac Butts added 13 points and Kellen Brand had 12 for the Mountaineers (8-7, 2-2 Southern Conference).
from the field (25-for-47). Davidson took a 12-point lead just eight minutes into the game and held a 10-point lead before the Mountaineers closed out the first half on a 14-2 run for a 37-35 halftime lead. The Mountaineers never trailed in the second half and closed the game on a 16-6 run.
Sims made 13 of 19 field goal attempts, including 5 of 7 from 3-point range. He also was 13-for-13 at the foul line. The Mountaineers shot 53.2 percent
Georgia Southern 81, Western Carolina 76
and Georgia Southern snapped an eight-game losing streak with an 81-76 upset of Western Carolina on Saturday. Rory Spencer and Antonio Hanson each scored 18 points for the Eagles (4-13, 1-3 Southern Conference). All of Hanson’s points came on 3-point shots. The Eagles broke open a close game with a 16-0 run in the first half to lead 32-17 after a layup by Spencer with 5:41 remaining in the half. The Eagles led 39-33 at halftime and never trailed afterward.
BY BRIANA GORMAN Special to the Courier
Associated Press
Cincinnati Bengals receiver Andre Caldwell (87) is upended by New York Jets safety Jim Leonhard (36) for an incomplete pass in the first half of an NFL wildcard playoff football game, Saturday, in Cincinnati. Jets players David Harris and Bart Scott look on.
Sanchez flawless, Jets beat Bengals 24-14 Appalachian State beats Davidson, 78-68 CINCINNATI (AP) — With their rookie quarterback playing mistake-free, the New York Jets turned their surprising playoff appearance into a long-running production. Mark Sanchez handled single-degree wind chills and the playoff pressure with no problems Saturday, throwing a touchdown pass on a rollout play, and the NFL’s top running game took it from there, setting up a 24-14 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Sanchez went 12 of 15 for 182 yards, becoming the fourth rookie quarterback since 1950 to start and win a playoff game. Third-round pick Shonn Greene ran for 135 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown, as the Jets’ rookies made plays under the biggest pressure.
STATESBORO, Ga. (AP) — Willie Powers scored 19 points
The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010 — 3B
sports
Kentucky survives Dawg scare LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Patrick Patterson and John Wall scored 17 points each to help No. 3 Kentucky hold off upset-minded Georgia, 76-68. DeMarcus Cousins added 16 points and seven rebounds for the Wildcats (16-0), who are off to their best start since winning 23 games to open the 1965-66 season. It wasn’t easy. The Bulldogs (8-6) nearly pulled off their second straight upset behind a season-high 20 points from Travis Leslie and 17 points and 13 rebounds from Trey Thompkins. Georgia pulled to 63-62 on a 3-pointer by Thompkins with just over 6 minutes to play, but would make just one field goal the rest of the way. Cousins scored seven of Kentucky’s final 13 points, including the deciding layup with 36 seconds remaining.
No. 12 Georgetown 72, No. 13 Connecticut 69 WASHINGTON (AP) — Austin Freeman scored 28 of his careerhigh 33 points in the second half, helping No. 12 Georgetown erase a 15-point halftime deficit Associated Press and come back to beat No. 13 Connecticut 72-69 Saturday. Duke’s Daniel Miller scores during the first half of an The game featured wild NCAA college basketball game against Georgia Tech on Saturday, in Atlanta. momentum swings and the sort of strong defense and diving-tothe-floor hustle one has come to expect in Big East Conference play. UConn dominated the Continued from Page 1B first half, scoring 16 consecutive points to lead by as many as 19. It was Georgetown’s turn after utes left, three other players finished with four) halftime, using a 10-0 run domiand didn’t provide star Jon Scheyer much help. nated by Freeman to get back The point guard followed up a 31-point effort into it. Freeman, a junior guard against Iowa State with another strong showfrom Mitchellville, Md., had ing. He scored 25 points and chipped in with six never scored more than 21 points assists. But Mason Plumlee, with 10 points off the in a college game. bench, was the only other Duke player in double Greg Monroe added 15 points figures. and 10 rebounds for Georgetown “Jon had a good game,” Singler said. “But we kind (12-2, 3-1), while Chris Wright of rely on him too much. We have to do a better job scored 14. of helping him out.” Stanley Robinson led UConn The Blue Devils were playing their third game (11-4, 2-2) with 16 points and in a week, and it showed. After a pair of 21-point eight rebounds. wins over Clemson and Iowa State, they seemed to run out of steam against a Georgia Tech team with No. 2 Texas 103, Colorado 86 superior depth. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — “They were fresher than we were,” said coach Freshman Avery Bradley scored Mike Krzyzewski, whose team had been on a 29 points and No. 2 Texas stayed seven-game winning streak. “They wore us down some. That can tell in the shooting, when your legs unbeaten in its Big 12 opener. Damion James added 20 aren’t completely there.” Especially from 3-point range, though Duke nev- points and 14 rebounds for the er stopped firing up the long-range shots. They had Longhorns, who are 15-0 for the first time since the 1932-33 seatwice as many attempts as the Yellow Jackets but didn’t get much more out of it. Georgia Tech was 5 son. Bradley was 12 of 14 from the field. for 14. For Colorado, it was just anoth“I don’t think we were careless,” Scheyer said. “When we shoot them, we need to shoot them like er afternoon of road woes. The Buffaloes (9-6, 0-1) dropped we mean it.” their 22nd consecutive road No one looked more weary than Singler. The game overall and their 30th in junior forward was held to nine points — nearly the Big 12. seven below his average. Marcus Relphorde scored 24 “Obviously, we didn’t get the game we needed points for the Buffaloes, but he from Singler,” Krzyzewski said. also was one of four Colorado The Yellow Jackets knew they couldn’t afford players to foul out in a fouranother effort like the one they had against minute stretch of the second half Georgia, having already lost their ACC opener at before Texas put the game away. home to Florida State in overtime. They managed to avert an 0-2 start in conference play by turnNo. 17 Wisconsin 73, ing up the defensive pressure on Duke, pressing No. 4 Purdue 66 and trapping much more than they did against Georgia, and crashing the boards in the second MADISON, Wis. (AP) — half. Jordan Taylor scored a career“Thinking back to Tuesday, I really let us down high 23 points, Jason Bohannon by not pressing more and trapping more,” Hewitt tied a career high with 20, and said. “My judgment was not right, not good.” No. 17 Wisconsin handed No. The Blue Devils had a 20-12 rebounding edge 4 Purdue its their first loss this in the opening half, but Georgia Tech dominated season. 26-12 after the break. Lawal led the Yellow Jackets Purdue’s 14-0 start tied the with nine rebounds, including back-to-back plays best in school history, but both that gave the home team a big boost. the 1993-94 squad led by Glenn “You don’t have to tell us to do that,” Lawal said. Robinson and this year’s had “That’s just a matter of wanting the ball.” their streaks end in Madison. When the horn sounded, the Georgia Tech stuWith former coach Gene Keady dent body stormed the court. The Yellow Jackets watching from behind the bench, had their first significant victory in a season of Matt Painter’s Boilermakers (14high expectations, and it won’t be the last one, 1, 2-1 Big Ten) trailed most of the according to Lawal. game. “When we’re on top of our game,” he said, “no one Wisconsin (13-3, 3-1) beat a can stop us.” top 10 team in Madison for the
Duke
NC State
run, with Scott scoring the go-ahead basContinued from Page 1B ket with 3:53 left and Landesberg coming up with a tough, 1-handin the final minute to maintain its grip on the ed leaner over C.J. Williams in the lane victory. that gave the Cavaliers “I just want these a 60-55 lead with 1:48 young men to just keep knocking, just keep try- left. “I think everybody ing to get better and feels the freedom (under see where that takes Bennett),” Landesberg us — and be hard to said. “When you get beat,” Bennett said. “I the ball, you’re able to want them to be really make a play for yourself hard to play against. or a teammate. It’s not Hopefully, we’re inching toward that. There’s really set where somebody has to be here at still a long way to go.” a particular time. It’s Sylven Landesberg freelance a little bit.” scored 23 points to In a matchup of teams lead the Cavaliers, while Mike Scott added picked to finish at the bottom of the league, 14 points. Both playthe difference came at ers came up big in the the foul line, where the game-changing 11-2
Wolfpack again struggled while the Cavaliers made every shot look easy. Virginia went 19-for-20 for the game, including 17 straight to close the game. N.C. State went 16-for-26 at the line and missed plenty that would have helped build an even bigger lead midway
Associated Press
Kentucky’s John Wall gets a dunk during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Georgia at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday.
second time this season and improved to 130-10 at home in coach Bo Ryan’s nine seasons. Purdue got 24 points from E’Twaun Moore and 13 from Robbie Hummel.
No. 6 Villanova 78, Marquette 76 VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) — Corey Stokes scored 16 points after missing a game with a hamstring injury and No. 6 Villanova survived a second scare in eight days against Marquette. The Wildcats (14-1, 3-0 Big East) surged to a 22-point lead early in the second half only to have it eaten into by a series of late 3s by the Golden Eagles. Lazar Hayward sparked Marquette (10-6, 1-3), hitting four 3-pointers in the second half to help whittle the deficit to single digits and put Villanova’s three-year home winning streak in jeopardy. Hayward sank two free throws after an intentional foul to make it 75-73. The Golden Eagles retained possession, but got nothing out of it once Jimmy Butler was swarmed on a double team and fumbled away the ball.
Missouri 74, No. 11 Kansas St. 68 COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Marcus Denmon scored nine of his 14 points in the final 6 minutes and Zaire Taylor hit a big 3-pointer late to lift Missouri. The Tigers (13-3) overcame poor free-throw shooting with tenacious defense and huge plays down the stretch to extend the nation’s second-longest home winning streak to 30 games. Taylor had 14 points and Laurence Bowers finished off the
through the second half. The Wolfpack, who led 30-26 at halftime, pushed ahead 42-32 with 13:22 left on a free throw from Tracy Smith. But N.C. State missed four of its next six free throws that could have maintained control.
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Missouri’s eighth straight win with two free throws and a dunk in the final 13 seconds. Kansas State (13-2) matched Missouri’s defense in an ugly stop-and-start game that featured poor shooting, 56 fouls and 41 turnovers. The Wildcats just couldn’t keep their composure against the Tigers’ pressure, losing for the 24th time in their last 26 games in Columbia.
Mississippi State 80, No. 14 Mississippi 75 OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Dee Bost tied his career high with 25 points and fueled Mississippi State’s upset of No. 14 Mississippi with fearless drives to the basket. Bost scored 17 points in the second half for the Bulldogs (133), drawing fouls as he attacked the paint against the Rebels (12-3) in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams. The Bulldogs trailed 42-37 at halftime, but used runs of 8-2 and 13-2 to rally from as much as nine down. Bost’s drives led to free throws and the Bulldogs hit 7 of 8 during the second run, finally taking a lead on a layup in transition from Bost to make it 61-59. Bost hit 9 of 12 free throws and overall Mississippi State was 22 for 33 in the game.
UNLV 74, No. 15 New Mexico 62 ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Kendall Wallace made six of his seven 3-pointers in the second half and finished with a career-high 21 points to help UNLV end the Lobos’ 19-game homecourt winning streak.
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4B — The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010
sports
The King Of Troy
Glover in charge of an easy week in Hawaii Editor’s note: Due to time difference and early deadlines, Saturday’s results from the SBS Championship were unavailable at press time. This was Doug Ferguson’s report, early Saturday morning thru 36 holes on Friday.
By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer
Associated Press
Southern California head football coach Pete Carroll looks on during an NCAA college football game against Oregon in Eugene, Ore., in this Oct. 31, 2009, file photo. The Los Angeles Times reported Friday that Seahawks chief executive officer Tod Leiweke flew to California this week to interview USC coach Pete Carroll for the job.
Rumors swirl about coach Pete Carroll’s possible return to NFL
SEATTLE (AP) — Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks do not have an agreement despite widespread reports but are closing in on a deal, according to a league official with direct knowledge of the coaching search. The official told The Associated Press on Saturday the team is in “discussions” with the Southern California coach and do not plan on giving him the additional title of president. The official added the Seahawks will hire a general manager and coach separately. “No, they do not have an agreement. They are not there,” the official told the AP, speaking on condition of anonymity because the Seahawks are not commenting. When asked if Carroll will become the eighth coach in Seattle’s 34-year history, the official said all signs point that way, just “not so fast” as has been reported.
Carroll has coached the New York Jets and New England Patriots and spent nine years at USC. He is under consideration by a Seattle team that went 5-11 this season and fired coach Jim Mora on Friday after one season. ESPN, which hired Carroll to provide analysis for this week’s national championship game, said Carroll reached a coaching agreement. The Los Angeles Times reported that the Seahawks — owned by Microsoft Corp. tycoon Paul Allen — are believed to be offering Carroll a five-year contract worth $7 million a season to be president and coach. That would be a raise of more than $2 million annually on what Carroll is thought to be earning at USC. Carroll’s agent, Gary Uberstine, did not return calls and e-mails from the AP on Saturday.
Associated Press
Coach Jim Mora, above, was fired by the Seahawks opening the door to rumors that USC head coach Pete Carroll would take the job.
The Seahawks already have interviewed Minnesota defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier. Teams must interview minority candidates for head coaching jobs. The Seahawks are 9-23 since their last playoff game in January 2008. Four weeks ago they forced general manager and president Tim Ruskell to resign. That left them without a coach, general manager or president
KAPALUA, Hawaii — The PGA Tour winners assembled at Kapalua are pampered like no other stop on the PGA Tour. They get a free room at the Ritz-Carlton with magnificent views of the Maui coastline, amenities that include a butler-drawn bath and spa treatment. It’s the easiest tournament all year to win with only 28 players, and no cut means free money. Hardly anyone expects paradise inside the ropes, too. On another day of relatively calm conditions Friday, Lucas Glover had another hot stretch that carried him to an 8-under 65 in the SBS Championship, giving him a three-shot lead over John Rollins and the lowest 36-hole score at Kapalua in five years. “We were talking about this at breakfast,” he said. “Nobody who’s been to Hawaii has seen it this calm. This is nice for us. We get to be a little more aggressive. Club selection is a lot easier. I wouldn’t mind seeing it come up and having some goofy stuff go on, just for fun.” Glover couldn’t help but notice on his way to the Plantation Course on Friday that the Pacific Ocean had rarely looked so still, an expanse of deep blue without the raging white caps produced by the typical trade win. Rollins watches this tournament on TV when he’s not eligible, and he usually sees flags and trousers whipping in the wind.
“You come over with the mindset the wind is going to howl,” Rollins said. “If I’m home watching in on TV, guys pants are whipping in the wind, they’re hitting short clubs from crazy yardages, they’re defensive on every shot. To get rounds like this is fantastic.” That doesn’t make winning any easier. less than four years after reachGlover was at 15-under 131 and will be in the last ing the Super Bowl. pairing Saturday with Rollins, who played bogeyCarroll was 6-10 in 1994 with free for a 66. the Jets and then 27-21 while The group at 11-under 135 featured defending twice reaching the playoffs from champion Geoff Ogilvy (66), Sean O’Hair (67), 1997-99 with the Patriots. He Matt Kuchar (68) and Martin Laird (68), with then restored a dynasty at USC Masters champion Angel Cabrera slowing after a beginning in 2001. good start for a 68 that put him five shots behind. This opportunity is unique for If not for Glover’s big surge, it could have been Carroll. The Seahawks still do really tight. not have a GM, so he will conEarly in the second round, 11 players were tied ceivably have authority over foot- for the lead at 7 under. Glover was making pars ball matters as he has at USC, and losing ground until he turned it around with and far more than he would a 7-iron into the par-5 sixth green and a two-putt have had filling any of the NFL birdie. That was the start of a six-hole stretch that coaching openings to which he’s he played in 6 under, and another run of birdies on been connected in recent winthe back nine put him ahead. ters. Even so, one par was as meaningful as some of This was perhaps the best time his birdies. to leave the Trojans since he After running off three straight birdies, Glover arrived in 2001. USC’s string of hit into a bunker on the par-3 eighth and couldn’t seven consecutive Pac-10 titles believe his bad luck when the ball ran down the ended with four losses this seaface and all the way to the back of the bunker, on a son. And the school has been slight slope, forcing him to play the shot with both under several years of NCAA feet out of the sand. He did well to blast out to 12 scrutiny for alleged improprifeet and make par. eties on Carroll’s team and in “That felt good taking that to the ninth tee,” he athletic director Mike Garrett’s said. beleaguered department. When receiver Damian Williams announced he would enter the NFL, the news release of his departure Friday night didn’t include a comment from Carroll, who often lavishes praise on his early entry candiCARTHAGE (AP) — A North Carolina jury has dates. If Carroll is indeed leaving col- indicted a professional wrestler on several drugrelated charges. lege, USC’s recruits must now The Fayetteville Observer reported Saturday that decide whether to honor their a Moore County grand jury returned the indictcommitments to the Trojans or re-enter the recruiting derby late ments for drug trafficking and possession with intent to sell against Jeff Hardy on Jan. 4 in process. Hardy was arrested in September at his Carthage University of Washington home. Authorities say they found hundreds of coach Steve Sarkisian left his Vicodin pills, anabolic steroids and powder friend Carroll and the Trojans 12 months ago for his first head cocaine. Hardy was suspended by World Wrestling coaching job. He was asked if he’d like to be a head man in the Entertainment in 2008 for a second violation of drug policy. same city as his mentor. He was later reinstated, won the WWE’s world “That would be kind of fun,” heavyweight championship belt last summer, then Sarkisian said. “He’s a great left the league after losing his title in August. coach.”
Wrestler Jeff Hardy indicted for drugs in NC
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Banquet Facilities for up to 40 people Maple Bar with Beer, Wine and Cocktails Garden Patio &Gift Certificates
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The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010 — 5B
sports
AP Report: Admissions exemptions aide athletes By ALAN SCHER ZAGIER Associated Press Writer
If grades make you a long shot for college, you’re much more likely to get a break if you can play ball. An Associated Press review of admissions data submitted to the NCAA by most of the 120 schools in college football’s top tier shows that athletes enjoy strikingly better odds of having admission requirements bent on their behalf. The notion that college athletes’ talents give them a leg up in the admissions game isn’t a surprise. But in what NCAA officials called the most extensive review to date, the AP found the practice is widespread and can be found in every major conference. The review identified at least 27 schools where athletes were at least 10 times more likely to benefit from special admission programs than students in the general population. That group includes 2009 Bowl Championship Series teams Oregon, Georgia Tech and Alabama. At Alabama, 19 football players got in as part of a special admissions program from 2004 to 2006, the most recent years available in the NCAA report. The school tightened its standards for “special admits� in both 2004 and 2007, but from 2004 through 2006, Crimson Tide athletes were still more than 43 times more likely to benefit from such exemptions. Alabama coach Nick Saban offered no apologies. “Some people have ability and they have work ethic and really never get an opportunity,� he said. “I am really pleased and happy with the job that we do and how we manage our students here, and the responsibility and accountability they have toward academics and the
At Texas, the average SAT score for a freshman football player from 2003 to 2005 was 945 — or 320 points lower than the typical firstyear student’s score on the entrance exam. School officials did not make coach Mack Brown or athletic director DeLoss Dodds available to comment. In all, 77 of the 92 Football Bowl Subdivision schools that provided information to the AP reported using special admissions waivers to land athletes and other students with particular talents. The AP spent three months obtaining and reviewing the reports through state public records laws. Ten schools did not respond to the AP’s request and 18 other schools, including Notre Dame, Pittsburgh and Southern California, declined to release their reports. The reports do not identify specific students who benefited from admissions waivers, but they are identified by sport in many cases. The NCAA sets minimum eligibility standards to compete once a student is in college, but leaves admissions decisions to individual schools and does not compare “special admits� across schools. Kevin Lennon, NCAA vice president for academic and membership affairs, noted that NCAA schools face penalties, including losing scholarships, if athletes’ graduation rates are too low or if they fail to show adequate progress toward a degree. “While it’s an institution’s decision on who they bring in, we’re most interested in what they do once they get there,� he said. “And if they’re not successful, there are consequences.� At California, one of the country’s most selective public universities, Golden Bear football players were 43 times more likely to gain
special admissions than nonathletes from 2002-04. “It doesn’t matter to us if that student is a junior Olympian in taekwondo or the best oboe player in the United States or someone who can really run fast and jump high,� said Walter Robinson, admissions director at Cal. “We still look at that student with the same consideration: can that student be successful at Berkeley if admitted?� While schools can tout the high graduation rates of athletes, they are not required to track the academic performance of special admits — and few do. The AP review also found wide variance in how schools compile admissions data for NCAA review. The NCAA asks schools to provide the annual percentages of special admits for all freshmen and all freshmen student-athletes on scholarship as well as a breakdown by individual sports. But some schools only supply raw numbers, not percentages. Other schools, such as Florida, say they don’t track special admissions outside athletics. And several schools report no special admissions but describe in great detail remedial efforts and other programs that adhere to the NCAA’s definition of special admissions. Gerald Gurney, incoming president of the National Association of Academic Advisers for Athletics, favors a return by the NCAA to the minimum test score requirement abandoned several years ago. He said the NCAA’s “virtually open admissions standards� threaten academic integrity. “Special admissions, in and of itself, isn’t something to be ashamed of. It does add value to a university,� said Gurney, senior associate athletic director for aca-
demics and student life at Oklahoma. “However, when you have students who need such a great deal of remediation, it jeopardizes the very essence of the university.� Six schools besides Texas reported no use of special admissions on campus: Air Force, Connecticut, Kansas State, Purdue, Tennessee and Virginia. The AP review also identified eight schools where athletes were no more likely than other students to get a break with special admissions: Arizona State, Arkansas State, Boise State, Iowa, Kent State, Mississippi State, New Mexico and West Virginia. At South Carolina, AllAmerican linebacker Eric Norwood recently graduated early with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Norwood was twice denied admission to South Carolina before being accepted as a special admit. The school softened special admission standards in 2007 after coach Steve Spurrier threatened to quit when two recruits who met NCAA eligibility requirements were turned down. “When I got here I applied myself,� Norwood said. “I had great support from the academic staff, great support from the football staff. And my teammates, they held me accountable.� South Carolina athletic director Eric Hyman dismissed critics who call special admissions simply a way to land athletes. “It’s also a way to get better artists, better musicians,� he said. “It’s not all athletes. If you graduate, if your people are successful, there’s going to be more flexibility. And that’s what we’ve done.�
eS¸dS a^`cQSR eS¸dS c^ ]c` a^`cQSR c^ ]c` `Sac[S `Sac[S eS¸dS b]] rise and shine Some people have ability and they have work ethic and really never get an opportunity. I am really pleased and happy with the job that we do and how we manage our students here.
Nick Saban
Alabama head football coach
success that they’ve had in academics.� The NCAA defines special admissions programs as those designed for students who don’t meet “standard or normal entrance requirements.� The NCAA says such exceptions are fine as long as schools offer the same opportunities to everyone from dancers, French horn players and underrepresented minorities as they do to fleet-footed wide receivers and 300-pound offensive linemen. Texas was one of seven schools that reported no use of special admissions, instead describing “holistic� standards that consider each applicant individually rather than relying on minimum test scores and grade-point averages. But the school also acknowledged in its NCAA report that athletic recruits overall are less prepared.
Associated Press reporters Pete Iacobelli in Columbia, S.C., John Zenor in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Terence Chea in Berkeley, Calif., contributed to this report.
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6B — The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, SUNDAY, January 10, 2010 Ask the Guys Dear Classified Guys, I just turned sixty years old and find myself suddenly unemployed. My previous employer was bought out so I'm on the hunt for a new job. However, during some recent interviews, I've had the interviewers ask me, "Where do you see yourself in the next five to ten years?" What are they thinking? Is there some key to this question? At my age, is there a better response than "retired"? • • • Cash: I've always thought the
"Where do you see yourself" question was ridiculous, no matter how old you are. It's too tempting to answer "playing golf", "on a cruise", or my personal favorite, "in your job". Carry: While the question may lack creativity, the idea is still relevant. It's important to determine how long a potential employee plans on sticking around. A response of "retired", although probably quite honest, does not present the best impression. Cash: However, I would hope the interviewer could devise a more creative way to ask. Most individuals can't plan what to eat for dinner let alone the next five years of their career. Employers are looking for someone
Duane “Cash” Holze & Todd “Carry” Holze
Fast Facts Getting Older Pays
Reader Humor Early Retirement
Despite publicity by the Social Security Administration, many people do not know when they are eligible for their social security benefits. Check the chart below and find out when you qualify. Birth Year Retirement Age 1937 or Earlier 65 1938-42 65 + add 2 mos/year 1943-1954 66 1955-59 66 + add 2 mos/year 1960 and later 67
I have two friends at work who often joke about their different lifestyles. My first friend, Larry, has been married and divorced four times. Each day he comes into work complaining of an ex-wife trying to get another alimony payment. We joke that at 66 years old, retirement is nowhere in his future. Jim, on the other hand, divorced last year and is now retiring at only 53 years old. At his farewell party, Larry wanted to know the secret. In front of the whole crowd he asked, "How are you able to retire at only 53?" Jim laughed and replied, "It's easy, Larry. I only have one ex-wife!"
01/10/10 ©2010 The Classified Guys®
with a great attitude about the job. And that's the point you need to emphasize during an interview. Carry: Employers seldom recognize that hiring a person near retirement age can have benefits over a younger employee. A recent AARP survey concluded that older workers, ages 50 to 70, tend to work for enjoyment, to have something interesting to do and to stay physically active. For employers, this results in higher moral and better overall performance of their staff. Cash: You'd think most of us would want to retire shortly after graduating college, but that doesn't seem to be the case. With the average life span
increasing every year, it's become the norm for people to work past the age of retirement. So for any employer to think that you are out the door at 65 years old would be rather naive. Carry: Your best bet for answering the question, and keeping a straight face, is to actually redirect your response. Tell the interviewer what you are looking forward to in the new job, such as a challenging position or room for growth. That will help infer longevity with the company. Cash: And, if you’re really trying to hide your age, be sure not to ask for a senior citizen discount in the company cafeteria.
Born on January 1st? Refer to the previous year.
Overworked? Do you feel like you're working longer hours? Most people do, but their perception may be a bit faulty according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 1967, it was reported the average workweek consisted of 40 hours. Nowadays, the average worker logs around 39 hours per week. However, if you're feeling overworked, try turning off the cell phone and pager after business hours and enjoying some time away from the office. • • • Do you have a question or funny story about the classifieds? Want to just give us your opinion? We want to hear all about it! Email us at: comments@classifiedguys.com.
(Thanks to Kevin S.)
Laughs For Sale That’s a lot of missing staplers. NOTICE loyees er 200 emp To the form Publishing Co. of ase, please Please, ple lers and return stap upplies. s other office
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*4 line minimum on all ads Apartments Nice 2 Bedroom on one floor & 1 Bedroom Apt across from Super 8 Motel in Spindale $385/mo. & $515/mo. Call 828-447-1989 Special $100 dep.! 1, 2 & 3BR Nice, large Townhomes Priv. decks, w/d hook up. Water incld.! Starting at $375/mo.
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Medical Records/ Data Processing Clerk - Duties: Enter all doctor’s orders into computer system. Maintain medical records by professional standards. Complete other medical clerical duties as assigned. Qualifications: Exceptional data entry skills without error, well organized, efficient & complete tasks in a timely manner. Associate degree in Medical Office Administration preferred or good working knowledge of medications and physician orders. To apply send resume to: Mary Lance, Administrator, White
Marketing/Admission Coordinator Exp. with work in the medical field, exc. organization & communication skills, professional attitude & presentation. Full time with benefits. Apply in person 518 Old US Hwy 221, Rutherfordton 287-7655
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M.D.S. Coordinator White Oak ManorRutherfordton is currently seeking RN, MDS Coordinator. Candidates should possess the following qualifications: must have one year experience as a MDS Coordinator in long term care, leadership abilities, interaction with all departments in a mature and professional manner. Works five days each week. Excellent benefits. If interested apply in person to Gail Eller, RN, Director of Nurses, Mary Whitworth, RN, Ass't Director of Nurses, Brenda Sue Lowman, Human Resources Manager. No phone calls please. EEOC
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Rutherford OB-GYN Associates is looking for a talented and dedicated individual to join our team as
Registered Nurse The RN will be the team leader for clinical services and will ensure that the daily clinical operation is efficient and provides the best care and service to our patients. The RN will serve as the lead staff member for clinical Electronic Medical Record processes. RN with leadership experience in a medical office preferred. Print application from: www.rutherfordobgyn.com Please submit application & resume to: Rutherford OB-GYN Associates, P.A. Attn: HR 446 NC 108 Hwy Rutherfordton, NC 28139 No Phone Calls Accepted! EOE Caring for Women…Caring for Life
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The Daily Courier 601 Oak Street, Forest City
NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Administrator of the estate of DOROTHY SUE SWINK RANDALL of Rutherford County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the estate of the said DOROTHY SUE SWINK RANDALL to present them to the undersigned on or before the 10th day of April, 2010 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment. This is the 10th day of January, 2010 Linda Carol Jenkins Randall, Administrator 1671 Doggett Rd. Forest City, NC 28043
Substance Abuse Care Managers to provide assessment & case management to clients involved in the criminal justice system. Stable, full-time position with benefits. Must be highly organized and able to work independently. Minimum of BA/BS (no exceptions) & human services experience. Positions are available in Marion, Lenoir, Rutherfordton, Shelby and Gastonia. Please send resume to Region4TASC@ nctasc.org
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Brand new wedding gown with matching veil. Never worn, still has tags! Strapless emerald bridal, size 6. Pd. $700, will sacrifice for $375 Call 447-1224
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Vans 1999 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport, white, 137K, very good cond. $3,000. 287-8988
Lost Missing 4 mo. old choc. lab puppy last seen Brooks Lake Rd. Rfdtn Call 223-0040 or 828-748-7486
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A TO Z, IT’S IN THE
CLASSIFIEDS!
The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, SUNDAY, January 10, 2010 — 7B
STATEWIDE CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING NETWORK AUCTIONS •ABSOLUTE AUCTION- Trustee Foreclosure. Wednesday, January 20 at 12:00 noon on site. VILLAGE OF PINEHURST - Unit 254. 1,448 sf Condo - Furnished. See Website for Previews and more information: Walker Commercial Services, Inc. (540) 344-6160. www.walker-inc.com (NCAL#8878) •RESTAURANT- Rita's Cantina, 22 Garfield St., Asheville (Biltmore Exit off I-40). Bank Liquidation. 06 and later equipment. Wednesday, January 13 at 10 a.m. 919-545-0412. www.RogersAuction.com NCFL7360. •HOME IMPROVEMENT AUCTION- Saturday, January 16 at 10 a.m., 201 S. Central Ave., Locust, NC. Granite Tops, Cabinet Sets, Doors, Carpet, Tile, Hardwood, Bath Vanities, Composite Decking, Lighting, Name Brand Tools. NC Sales Tax applies. www.ClassicAuctions.com 704-507-1449. NCAF5479 •AUCTION- COURT AUTHORIZED. Tarheel Tractor, 2566 Hickory Blvd. SE, Lenoir, NC. Saturday, January 23, 10:00 AM. Excavator, work truck, mowers, etc. Gary Boyd Auction, NCAL#2750. 704-982-5633. www.garyboydauction.com AUTOMOBILE DONATION •DONATE YOUR VEHICLE- Receive $1000 Grocery Coupon. United Breast Cancer Foundation. Free Mammograms, Breast Cancer info: www.ubcf.info. Free Towing, Tax Deductible, Non-Runners Accepted, 1-888-468-5964. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY •ALL CASH VENDING! Do You Earn Up to $800/day (potential)? Your own local route. 25 Machines and Candy. All for $9,995. 1-888-753-3458, MultiVend, LLC. HELP WANTED •RV Delivery Drivers needed. Deliver RVs, boats and trucks for PAY! Deliver to all 48 states and Canada. For details log on to www.RVdeliveryjobs.com •KNIGHT TRANSPORTATION- Charlotte Division. Hiring OTR Drivers. Must have 6 mos OTR experience, Clean MVR, No DUI/DWI. No Felonies/Accidents. Apply online www.knighttrans.com 704-998-2700. •DRIVERS CDL/A FLATBED Up to .41 CPM. Home Time. Benefits. OTR Experience Required. No felonies. Top earner potential $69,000. Carrier since 1928! 800-441-4271, x NC-100 •CDL A TEAM Drivers with Hazmat. Split $0.68 for all miles. O/OP teams paid $1.40 for all miles. Up to $1500 Bonus. 1-800-835-9471. •ATTENTION: SOLO DRIVERS! Schneider National has regional truckload opportunities available right now in North Carolina. We've got more of what you're after. Weekly Home time, Average length of haul 300-400 miles. 95% No Touch Freight. Call 800-44-Pride. Apply online: schneiderjobs.com •DRIVER- CDL-A. Attention Flatbed Drivers! Steady Freight & Miles. Limited Tarping. Paycheck deposited to ComData Card, $25 Bonus for every clean DOT inspection. Must have TWIC Card or apply within 30 days of hire. Western Express. Class A CDL, 22 years old, 1 year experience. 866-863-4117. •By Invitation Only...Drivers Wanted! Where: Cypress Truck Lines. When: Now! What: Great Pay & Benefits! How: CDL-A & 2 years experience. RSVP: 800-545-1351. www.cypresstruck.com REAL ESTATE •FORECLOSED ONLINE HOME AUCTION. 800+ Homes. Bids Open 1/11. Open House: 1/3, 9 & 10. View Full Listings & Details: www.Auction.com. REDC. Brkr 20400. •AUCTION: BIDDERS CHOICE- 2 NEW Ocean Front Homes, Isle of Palms, SC. JANUARY 30 WILL SELL above $3.5m each 8% BP. Mike Harper, SCAL3728. 843-729-4996. www.HarperAuctionAndRealty.com •LAND OR DEVELOPMENTS WANTED. We buy or market development lots. Mountain or Waterfront Communities in NC, SC, AL, GA and FL. Call 800-455-1981, Ext.1034.
BUSINESS&SERVICE DIRECTORY
VACATION RENTALS •Your ad can be delivered to over 1.7 million North Carolina homes from the doorstep to the desktop with one order! Call this newspaper to place your 25-word ad in 114 NC newspapers and on www.ncadsonline.com for only $330. Or visit www.ncpress.com. SCHOOLS/INSTRUCTION •ATTEND COLLEGE ONLINE from home. Medical, Business, Paralegal, Accounting, Criminal Justice. Job placement assistance. Computer available. Financial aid if qualified. Call 888-899-6918. •AIRLINES ARE HIRING- Train for high paying Aviation Maintenance Career. FAA approved program. Financial aid if qualified. Housing available. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance (888) 349-5387.
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8B — The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010
sports The 2010 NFL Playoffs
Ravens, Pats anticipate close game
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Final minute. Game on the line. Ravens vs. Patriots. That’s the way it’s been the last two times those teams met and that’s the way New England coach Bill Belichick expects it to be on Sunday when he faces Baltimore in a wild-card playoff game. “You’ve got to think you’re going to be in a close game at this time of year,” he said. “Whoever you play is a good football team and you’ve got to feel like there’s a good possibility it’s going to be a last-possession game.” Belichick would be thrilled if the result were the same as it was in Baltimore in the 12th game in 2007 and Foxborough in the fourth game this season. The Patriots won the first one 27-24 on Tom Brady’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Jabar Gaffney with 44 seconds left that kept them on course toward the only 16-0 regular season in NFL history. They held on for a 27-21 win in the second one when Mark Clayton dropped a fourth-down pass with 28 seconds left that would have given the Ravens a first down inside the Patriots 10-yard line. Then throw in the five games each team lost by seven points or less this season and players’ thoughts could turn to what might have been. “They’re always aggravating when they’re happening,” Ravens
linebacker Ray Lewis said. “It’s not aggravating now. It’s more of a calmness, knowing that no matter what we go into, we have a real chance to win the football game and we have an opportunity to be in every game that’s close. “It’s the small things that would make us win those close games.” The Ravens reached the AFC championship game last year and trailed Pittsburgh just 16-14 before Troy Polamalu returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown with 4:24 left and a 23-14 win. The Patriots last playoff game was even closer. They were leading the New York Giants 14-10 in the 2008 Super Bowl when David Tyree, now with the Ravens, caught a 32-yard pass against his helmet on fourth down that set up the winning 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds left for a 17-14 victory. That gave the NFC wild-card team the championship. “The thing you take from it in a positive way, is that they were a team that didn’t look like they had as good a chance as other teams to advance that far,” Brady said. “I think that really means any team is alive, whether it’s the six-seed Ravens or the three-seed Patriots.” The Patriots (10-6) won the AFC East, but the Ravens (9-7) won’t have to face Wes Welker,
the NFL’s leading receiver with 123 catches, who seriously injured his knee in last Sunday’s 34-27 loss to Houston. But the Patriots should have their best defensive linemen back. Nose tackle Vince Wilfork missed the last three games with a foot injury and end Ty Warren sat out two of them and much of the third with an ankle injury. That should help against the outstanding running duo of Ray Rice and Willis McGahee. “You cannot play that defense without recognizing that guy, Vince Wilfork,” Rice said. “When he wants to stop a play, he’ll stop a play.” Quarterback Joe Flacco doesn’t care who he hands the ball to, “it’s just a matter of what they do with it afterwards,” he said. The Ravens were 1-6 this season against playoff teams and have never beaten the Patriots, losing all five matchups. At home, the Patriots were 8-0 this season and have won their last 11 playoff games, the last seven with Brady. “We’ve always played well in the cold weather, too, just because we’re out there practicing in it every day,” he said. Sunday’s forecast is for high temperatures in the low 20s and cloudy skies. But the NFL’s 2007 MVP has thrown for fewer than 200 yards in three of his last four games and is nursing finger and rib injuries.
little bit quicker.” Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said the defense must be diverse and unpredictable. “I think pressure is not always the answer because he gets the ball out quick and he understands that,” Whisenhunt said. “They have some good receivers. You have to be versatile. You have to mix what you’re trying to get done on defense.” The Cardinals play an aggressive style that works best when the team is at emotional peak. The aim will be to disrupt Rodgers’ rhythm. Arizona will move players around, especially Pro Bowl starting safety Adrian Wilson, to try to confuse the Packers quarterback in his first playoff game. The Cardinals were sixth in the league with 43 sacks—by 13 different players. Defensive tackle Darnell Dockett and defensive end Calais Campbell lead with seven apiece. Dockett is the disruptive force up front and Campbell, at 6-foot-8, can be an imposing presence. They are taking aim at Rodgers. “There’s a trend that teams that beat him, they usually get to him and knock him down a lot, make him a little nervous back there,
Peyton Manning wins 4th MVP
NEW YORK (AP) — Maybe the award should be renamed Most Valuable Peyton. Peyton Manning became the first player to win The Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player honors four times. The Indianapolis Colts’ sensational quarterback romped to the award Saturday in balloting by 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the league. He received 39 1/2 votes to 7 1/2 for Drew Brees get rid of the ball a little faster,” of New Orleans. Only four players — all quarCampbell said. “If you let him sit terbacks — earned votes. The other two were back there, he’ll pick you apart.” Philip Rivers of San Diego (2) and Brett Favre of They know they are facing a Minnesota (1). quarterback at the top of his Manning also won in 2003, 2004 and 2008, game. breaking a tie with Favre at three MVPs. “You watched him in the pre“I’m very humbled and grateful to be honored season and that last game, the with this award and I really feel like it is a reflecguy didn’t even have to look tion of our team,” said Manning, who guided the at his receivers,” Arizona nose Colts to a 14-0 record before they rested starters in tackle Bryan Robinson said. “He the second half of two games and finished 14-2. knew where they were going to “I have to believe that starting 14-0 and havbe. You run a West Coast style ing seven comeback wins has a lot to do with this offense, everybody has a read, a award coming our way, and I’m very grateful to spot they have to get to, and it all the players and the coaches and our fans, who looks like he’s real comfortable.” were a big part of it. There were a number of other Davis, a longtime friend of extremely deserving candidates.” Packers coach Mike McCarthy, The Colts play in the divisional round next week said Rodgers is throwing “as well and have home-field advantage throughout the as anybody if not better than AFC playoffs. The Super Bowl is Feb. 7 in Miami, anybody” in the NFL. the same place they won it three years ago. “He’s very calm back there. Manning threw for 4,500 and 33 touchdowns He’s seeing the field very well. this season. Perhaps most impressive, he led the He’s very decisive and accurate,” Colts to all those comeback victories. The 33-yearDavis said. “Great NFL quarold quarterback has started every game in his terbacks are accurate above all career, 192 in the regular season and 15 in the things, and he’s throwing the playoffs. ball very accurately.” He is durable and dynamic, dependable and deciDavis’ defense is a bit bangedsive. In other words, most valuable. up, with cornerback Dominique “He’s been such a highly accomplished perRodgers-Cromartie nursing a former year in and year out. Just when you think bruised left knee cap, safety you’ve seen his best, he improves upon it,” said Jim Antrel Rolle a bruised right thigh and Campbell a broken left Caldwell, who succeeded Tony Dungy as coach and benefited from the same kind of performances thumb. All were listed as questionable Manning gave Dungy. “This year is one of those in on Friday, but all three expect to terms of when you look at his numbers and how he’s been able to play consistently well over a long play, although Campbell would period of time. It’s been remarkable. have to wear a cast. “I think a lot of it has to do with his drive. He just has an innate sort of will to excel. He never gets bored with it. That, I think, is highly unusual.” Manning joined the truly elite of team sports: Wayne Gretzky (9), Barry Bonds (7) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6), the leaders for MVP awards in their sports. “I’m not comfortable having my name on that list or drawing comparisons to those guys,” Manning said Saturday. “I think all of those people would probably echo the sentiments that I had before about being very humbled, especially in football which I think is the ultimate team game.” Manning, the 2007 Super Bowl MVP when he won his only league championship, noted the support and stability he’s enjoyed in his career. “I’ve been the beneficiary of having the same owner, the same team president all four times,” he said. “I’ve received great coaching from our head coaches and assistants and a number of different teammates who have all had a huge impact on me.”
Cards respect Packers QB Rodgers
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP)—The Arizona Cardinals watched virtually defenseless as Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers tore them to shreds—first in a preseason game, then in a meaningless regular-season finale. Whatever tactics the Cardinals have that might give Rodgers problems are being saved for Sunday’s wild-card game. Whether anything Arizona does will work against the Packers’ strong and accurate quarterback will go a long way toward determining the outcome. While the Cardinals want to bring pressure, they have to worry about the potent Green Bay running game, too, and the fact that Rodgers has become good at getting rid of the ball in a hurry. At first glance, pressuring the quarterback would seem to be a solid plan. Rodgers has been sacked 50 times, tied with Ben Roethlisberger for most in the NFL. But only nine of them have come in the seven games since right tackle Mark Tauscher returned to the lineup. “They just changed their lineup a little bit and I think they probably simplified their protection,” Cardinals defensive coordinator Bill Davis said, “and I think also Aaron is also seeing the field a
Associated Press
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning (18) scrambles out of the pocket as he is pursued by Houston Texans defensive end Connor Barwin (98) in this Nov. 8, 2009, file photo.
Sunday Brunch Jean Gordon
Pine needles keep us warm at the bus stop Observing a group of young students all bundled up in winter wear get off their school bus last Monday morning in 15-degree weather brought a flood of memories of school days past. On these frigid mornings, I often wonder how children are staying warm at bus stops. A long time ago, now it seems, my sisters and I walked threetenths of a mile to our school bus stop each day. Most days there were no problems, but inclement weather created anguish and panic attacks before they became popular. Back then snow boots weren’t in our closets. Even on the days when snow provided amazing pasture terrace sledding, it was common for my three sisters and I to put plastic sandwich bags over our shoes, held in place with rubber bands. As long as we could stay dry around the feet, we were good to sled for hours, sitting upright on our cardboard box lids. We didn’t have sleds either, but I can’t imagine flying any faster down a snow covered terrace than we did. I remember a time when I’d stayed out in the snow longer than I was allowed. On one evening, I didn’t have the plastic bags around my shoes, and when I took my shoes and socks off, my toes had suddenly become quite fashionable — blue tips. Daddy scared me into believing I had frost bite, when in reality, my blue socks faded after they became wet. Heading outdoors to play in the snow was all about layers. Layers of socks and shirts and a couple pairs of pants was all we needed. I still have the vision of all those lines of socks lying on the floor under the wood heater drying. When I saw the school buses the other day, I remembered how it was to ride to school on the bus. Most days my sisters and I arrived at the bus stop just a minute or so before the bus came. But if the bus was late it was usually a bitterly cold and/or a rainy day. I was a bus rider beginning in 1958 and there were no shelters at bus stops. But we were more fortunate than others. At the top of the road was a towering pine tree. In the midst of a collection of pine needles, we discovered a wonderful secret — dry, soft and warm conditions. We stayed warm even before girls were permitted to wear pants to school. Back then, Rutherford County Schools had a policy if the temperature was below 20 degrees, girls could wear long pants. Rainy days were the worst. Remember those plastic rain kerchiefs with the straps that tied around the neck. If you folded them right, they’d slide into a plastic case that would fit in your hand. Haven’t seen one of those in years, but I wouldn’t have sold mine for anything back then. Nothing’s worse than arriving to school with a wet head of red wavy curls. Today when I drive by a school bus stop shelter, I have to smile. Kids these days just don’t know what all they are missing. Jean Gordon is the senior reporter/ features editor at The Daily Courier. Contact her via e-mail at jgordon@ thedigitalcourier.com.
Author Event
Amy Greene, author of “Bloodroot,” will speak at Fireside Books just one month after publication of the book, on Feb. 12 from 7 to 9 p.m. A multi-generational saga set in Appalachia, “Bloodroot” centers on Myra Lamb, a wild young girl, and the lives of those related to her, including her grandmother and children.
Southern novelist to speak at Fireside By JEAN GORDON Daily Courier Staff Writer
FOREST CITY — Southern author, Amy Greene, brings her debut novel “Bloodroot,” to be published by Knopf on Jan. 12, to Fireside Books and Gifts Feb. 12 from 7 to 9 p.m. for a reception and book reading. She is working on a second novel, “Long Man.” Greene is a student in Vermont College’s low residency undergraduate degree program. She grew up and still lives in the foothills of East Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains with her husband and two children, where she says the culture and traditions of Appalachia influence her writing. “Bloodroot” is a multi-generational saga set in the heart of Appalachia
that centers on a young girl raised by her grandmother on remote Bloodroot Mountain, and the legacy of the place and the madness that her twin children inherit. It’s a stunning fiction debut about the legacies—of magic and madness, faith and secrets, passion and heartbreak—that one family wrestles with across the generations, from the Great Depression to today, says book publisher, Knopf. Knopf gives this summary: Told in a kaleidoscope of voices, Bloodroot is at once a moving exploration of familial love and the story of an incendiary romance that consumes everyone in its path: Myra Lamb, a wild young girl with mysterious “haint blue” eyes who grows up on remote Bloodroot Mountain; her grandmother, Byrdie Lamb, who protects Myra fiercely and
passes down “the touch” that bewitches people and animals alike; the neighbor boy who longs for Myra but is destined never to have her; Myra’s children, who must reckon with all that they have inherited from their mother; and John Odom, the young man who tries to tame Myra but meets with disaster. With grace and unflinching verisimilitude, Amy Greene brings these characters—the people of her native Appalachia—vividly to life in an evocative, astonishing tour de force. “The fact that I’m being published by Knopf still feels like a dream sometimes,” says Greene on Examiner.com. “I still have a hard time believing that this time next year, I’ll be holding my book in my hands,” she says. “One
Please see Greene, Page 8C
Contributed photo
This B-17 was struck by a bomb during World War II. Forest City native Howard Stallcup was aboard the craft when it was struck.
‘They could hear it before they could see it’ Editor’s Note: The following account of an incident in World War II includes the mention of former Forest City resident Harold Stallup. It was originally printed in “398th Bomb Group Remembrances,” written by Allen Ostrom, and published in 1989. The story was sent to O.A. Fish of Bostic by a former pilot friend with Eastern Airlines. Stallcup was a World War II B-17 Fighter Pilot. Permission to use Ostrom’s story was granted by the 398th Bomb Group Memorial Association at www.398th.org. By ALLEN OSTROM Special to The Daily Courier
They could hear it before they could see it! Not all that unusual in those days as the personnel at Station 131 gathered
around the tower and scattered hardstands to await the return of the B-17’s sent out earlier that morning. First comes the far off rumble and drone of the Cyclones. Then a spec on the East Anglia horizon. Soon a small cluster indicating the lead squadron. Finally, the group. Then the counting. 1-2-3-4-5... .. But that would have been normal. Today was different! It was too early for the group to return. “They’re 20 minutes early. Can’t be the 398th.” They could hear it before they could see it! Something was coming home. But what? All eyes turned toward the northeast, aligning with the main runway, each ground guy and stood-down airman straining to make out this “wail
of a Banshee,” as one called it. Not like a single B-17 with its characteristic deep roar of the engines blended with four thrashing propellers. This was a howl! Like a powerful wind blowing into a huge whistle. Then it came into view. It was a B-17! Low and pointing her nose at the 6,000 foot runway, it appeared for all the world to be crawling toward the earth, screaming in protest. No need for the red flares. All who saw this Fort knew there was death aboard. “Look at that nose!” they said as all eyes stared in amazement as this single, shattered remnant of a once beautiful airplane glided in for an Please see Flight, Page 8C
2C â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010
local
Out & About Law Enforcement Retiree
Sharing The Warmth
eS¸dS a^`cQSR eS¸dS c^ ]c` a^`cQSR c^ ]c` `Sac[S need a reason `Sac[S eS¸dS b]] to start your Jean Gordon/Daily Courier
The Town of Rutherfordton hosted a reception Wednesday for Lt. Rick Parker, who is retiring with 32-years of law enforcement service. Pictured with Parker (center) receiving momentos are fellow officers Rick Gilbert, Mark Morgan, Charlotte Ruppe, Michael Snyder, Kenny Kempster, and Police Chief Kevin Lovelace.
After a festive reception Wednesday night honoring Lt. Rick Parker upon his retirement from the Rutherfordton Police Dept., including plenty of good food, Mayor Jimmy Dancy told Parker, â&#x20AC;&#x153;You can retire again next month,â&#x20AC;? as he began the regular business meeting of Town Council.
There was standing room only at Town Hall as council prepared to honor Parker with a resolution and a gift from the police department. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Come on in,â&#x20AC;? Dancy told the crowd in the hallway, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Get to know each other. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not going to take up an offering.â&#x20AC;? Councilman Bob Jones, and a Baptist, quickly responded, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a Methodist talking.â&#x20AC;? Among those praising Parker for his years of service in law enforcement were Rutherford County Sheriff Jack Conner and Burke County Sheriff John McDevitt, who is also Parkerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brother-in-law. Conner also took the opportunity
to announce his re-election run for sheriff. McDevitt responded, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am too.â&#x20AC;?
Linda Thompson of Lake Lure stepped out on a frigid Lake Lure New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day exclaiming, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I got my foot stuck and my guardian angle pulled me out.â&#x20AC;? Thompson was among the 100 participants in the annual â&#x20AC;&#x153;Polar Plunge, Freezin for a Reasonâ&#x20AC;? event Friday and was also among those who said their feet got stuck. One lady told a bystander, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was about to have a panic attack.â&#x20AC;?
Runt of the Litter, written and performed by Bo Eason and directed by Larry Moss, will debut the weekend of Jan. 15 and 16, at the Diana Wortham Theatre at Pack Place. Both performances begin at 8 p.m. Ticket prices are $30 regular, ; $28 for senior citizens, $25 for students. For tickets or more information contact the Box Office (828) 257-4530 or visit www.dwtheatre.com.
Contributed photo
Members of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hearts with Handsâ&#x20AC;? program of Cornerstone Fellowship Church are pictured with a truck load of fire wood ready to be delivered to families with heating needs and those in emergency situations. The group cuts and splits donated wood for families in need.
Board Member Says Good-Bye
Sandi Sox said good-bye to her fellow members of the Rutherford/Polk Smart Start Partnership board Tuesday during the regular business meeting. She is moving to Swansboro with her husband who has a new job there. When executive director Barry Gold asked who would want to live in Swansboro, board member Dr. Myra Johnson responded, she would. She has a daughter nearby.
Jean Gordon/Daily Courier
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The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010 — 3C
local Lake Lure’s 2nd Annual Polar Plunge ‘Freezin’ For A Reason’
Among the more than 100 people who braved frigid weather New Year’s Day to plunge into Lake Lure were (above, from left) Phillip Morrow, Jeffrey Hardin, Mike Elgin and Brad Teague of Forest City. Some folks took the plunge fully clothes while others, bared their chests, legs and mid-drifts for the plunge. Most plungers jumped in one second and were out the next. Mark Sullivan of Greenville, S.C., (right) won the “Best Costume” Award at the annual Polar Plunge. “Barely” dressed in the New year’s Baby attire, Sullivan admitted he was actually born May 26, 1964, but took the opportunity to dress up again for the plunge. Last year he plunged in a bikini. Rhett Vaughn received the Most Spirited Award.
Photos by Jean Gordon
Hundreds stood by New Year’s Day (center photo, above) to witness the second annual “Polar Plunge, Freezin’ for a Reason.” Participants paid $35 to jump into the lake with proceeds going Yokefellow Service Center and emergency departments in the Hickory Nut Gorge. Chimney Rock Mayor Barbara Meliski (above, left) displayed community support and a whole lot of bravery when she jumped into Lake Lure on New Year’s Day. Former Lake Lure mayor Jim Proctor (second from right) was there to capture the event on film. Pictured at right, Chole Davis and her sister, Megan Davis, of Easley, S.C., were dressed in warm hats coats to witness the Polar Plunge.
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4C — The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010
local Engagements
Weddings
Jennifer Peterson and Hart Neely
Erin McElhiney, Chad Matheney
Jennifer Ashley Peterson and Hart Kreswell Neely, of Cincinnati, Ohio, are engaged and plan to be married Saturday, June 26, 2010 in Cincinnati. The brideelect is the Peterson, Neely daughter of Thomas and Kathy Peterson from the University of of Cincinnati. Cincinnati. She is curThe groom-elect is the rently a third grade son of Steve and Carol Neely of Rutherfordton. teacher. Hart is a 2004 graduJennifer is a 2003 ate of R-S Central High graduate of Sycamore School and currently High School in Cincinnati and received resides in Cincinnati, where he is employed as her bachelor’s in early childhood education a real estate agent.
Ronny and Joy Butler of Waxhaw announce the engagement of their daughter, Erin Lea McElhiney, to Chad Christopher Matheney. The bride-elect is a 2002 graduate of Parkwood High School and a 2006 graduate of Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. She is employed by CMC-Union in Monroe. The future bridegroom is the son of Jimmy and Ann Matheney of Spindale. He is the grandson of Nell Matheney of Mooresboro and Judith Goforth of Spindale and the late Mal Matheney. He is a 2002 graduate of R-S Central High School. He is employed
Erin McElhiney
by Ingles in Forest City. A June 5, 2010, wedding is planned at Mountain Gateway Museum in Old Fort.
New Arrivals
Mr. and Mrs. Chad Davis
Xiong and Davis united in marriage
Christian Cree Xiong and Chad Davis were joined in marriage December 16, 2009 at Rutherford County Courthouse. A reception followed at the home of the groom’s parents. The bride is the daughter of Chong Shoua Xiong and Cher V. Xiong of Minneapolis, Minn. Cree will receive a master’s degree in organizational management from Ashford University in May. The groom is the son of Mike and Vernita Davis of Forest City. Chad is a 2004 graduate of Isothermal Community College and employed by Synergy In Action of Tryon. The newlyweds will reside in Rutherfordton.
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News as Fresh as The Morning
RUTHERFORDTON — The following babies were born at Rutherford Hospital. Melvin and Amber Digh, Rutherfordton, a girl, Bryndle Elyse Digh, Dec. 29. Ridge and Jennifer Laney, Bostic, a girl, Kaylen Michelle Laney, Dec. 29. Ronnie Mode Jr. and Jessica Green, Forest City, a girl, Hannah Marie Mode, Dec. 30. Jacob Hodge and Chelsey McElrath, Spindale, a boy, Jonas William Hodge, Dec. 30. Gabe and Liz Brown, Forest City, a girl, Sophie Elizabeth Brown, Dec. 28. Mark McCall and Kimberly Parsons, Forest City, a boy, Noah Avery McCall, Dec. 30. Christopher Johnson and Ashley Keeter, Forest City, a boy, Braelin Trace Johnson, Dec. 31.
FOREST CITY — There will be no Blue Ridge Barbecue Festival in 2010, according to Andy Millard, president of the Carolina Foothills Chamber of Commerce. “Furthermore,” Millard said, “there are no plans to revive the festival in the future. In short, we are getting out of the festival business so that we can concentrate more fully on the Chamber’s core mission of supporting and promoting member businesses.” The festival was been held at Harmon Field, Tryon for 16 years and drew cookers and competitors from Rutherford and
FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS to be included in our
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surrounding counties as well as numerous states. The festival began as a fund-raising event benefiting the Chamber of Commerce (then named Tryon Chamber of Commerce), and was the brainchild of Jim Tabb and Charlie Neff. It has run continuously for the past 16 years, growing and gaining national attention as one of the premier food festivals in the country. It was also declared the North Carolina Barbecue Festival for several years. According to Millard, the Chamber’s Board of Directors cited three main reasons for discontinuing the Festival — and all three of them relate to that growth: First is the expense of putting on the festival. “While it has continued to make money in recent years, the festival’s profit, both in terms of profit margin and actual dollars, has trended downward to a point where it is no longer commensurate with the time and resources it consumes,” Millard said. Second is that the festival has grown to
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“Obviously, we still have substantial fundraising needs,” the Chamber president said. “It is our hope that the expertise and energy of our wonderful volunteers will not be lost. Dale Musselwhite, the able chairman of the festival has agreed to serve as chairman of a new committee that will coordinate and manage all of our fund-raising efforts. We believe that many of the members of the barbecue committee will want to serve with him in new and exciting efforts. The Chamber Board of Directors issued a statement which concluded with high praise for the festival and those associated with it: “We are proud of the Blue Ridge Barbecue Festival, and we are profoundly grateful for the hundreds of individuals who have contributed to its success over the years. It has helped put the Carolina foothills area on the map, provided an outlet for many local volunteers, and has been a source of civic pride— not to mention the fact that it was loads of fun.
In these unusual economic times, planning for future health care needs is more crucial than ever. One option available is EASTWOOD VILLAGE, Rutherford County’s only complete retirement and health care concept.
Submit birthdays for February by January 27th
Send to: The Daily Courier Attn: Birthday Calendar 601 Oak Street Forest City, NC 28043
the point where it now engenders a level of financial and legal risk that the chamber is no longer willing to take. Millard explained that from 2005 through 2009, the average annual cost of putting on the event was $292,000. “We had to make those costs back before we made our first dime of profit. Two rainy days could have been devastating,” he said. He also noted that the possibility of someone getting hurt has increased in proportion to the growth of the festival. Finally, the Board considered the fact that the festival now consumes time, energies and resources that are needed elsewhere. “In fact,” Millard said, “the festival requires the year round combined efforts of about 20 gifted and selfless individual who serve on the steering committee. The event itself requires more than 700 volunteers. Plus, one member of the Chamber’s paid staff must devote the vast majority of her time to the various tasks involved in producing the festival.
ATTENTION ADULTS AGE 55+
BIRTHDAY CAlEnDAR
Birth Date:
Mr. and Mrs. Brian Thompson, Rutherfordton, a boy, Bryson James Thompson, Jan. 1. Justin Smith and Amber Hargett, Mooresboro, a boy, Karsyn Memphis Smith, Jan. 2. Doug and Crystal Lee, Forest City, a boy, Eathan Cole Lee, Jan. 2. Robert Keeter III and Sicily Burge, Forest City, a boy, Damien Lee Keeter, Jan. 3.
No Blue Ridge Barbecue Festival in 2010
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Floyd Norris and Asiah Poston, Forest City, a boy, Legend Armani Levi Norris, Dec. 31. Jerome Lilly and Ruby Ashe, Forest City, a girl, Keyona Leshea Lilly, Dec. 31. Josh Trout and Diamond Ammons, Rutherfordton, a girl, Elizabeth Christine Trout, Jan. 1.
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The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010 — 5C
local
College offers small business seminars
Polar Express Day at Harris School
SPINDALE — The Small Business Center of Isothermal Community College will conduct several seminars for small business owners or those interested in beginning a business. Classes will be held in the Communication Technology Building, Room 108. The cost for each class is $5. The following seminars are offered: Basics of Starting a Small Business (Thursday, Jan. 14, 6 to 9 p.m.) This seminar will teach you how to start a small business and the basic issues that must be addressed. Topics covered include what it takes to be a business owner, how to know there is a market for your product or service, information on financing your new business, the four major issues that every business must face and a step-by-step plan on where to start. Writing a Business Plan (Thursday, Feb. 4, 6 to 9 p.m.) How do you write a business plan for your small business that you can really use? Would a lender be willing to invest in your plan? This seminar will cover the following topics: the two main purposes of a business plan and why you should write it, why the business plan is important in obtaining financing for your business, what a lender really wants to see in your plan, can you have too much in your plan and what do you need to omit, how you actually write your plan, and how you cover what you really need in a short but usable plan.
Students at Harris Elementary School celebrated Polar Express Day on Dec. 15th. This was a special Reading Is Fundamental event, where the students enjoyed wearing pajamas, hot chocolate, train tickets and a magical train ride on The Little Blue Choo. Through the Reading Is Fundamental program each child also received a free book.
Marketing Your Business (Tuesday, Feb. 23, 6 to 9 p.m.) In order to make your business a success you must sell your product or service to someone else. Do you have a plan to market what you do or sell? This seminar will help you determine the best way to develop your marketing strategies and make sure you are reaching the right market. Some of the issues to be covered include having a large enough market to sustain your business, who your market is, how large your marketing budget should be, what media you should use, and writing a marketing plan.
Contributed photos
Understanding Financial Statements and Bookkeeping (Thursday, March 4, 6 to 9 p.m.) Bookkeeping for a small business can be a daunting task. It can be difficult, however, bookkeeping is essential for the survival of any business. Bookkeeping helps business owners know the exact position of their business anytime they want. Details like gain or loss, the amount due to creditors, dates of transactions, and the amount due from debtors are critical in assessing your financial position. In this seminar you will learn which records you should be keeping and get tips on how to keep your records in order. The seminar Understanding Tax Requirements for Your Business is also coming up. The date and time will be announced later. For information or to register contact Dee Spurlin at 286-3636, ext. 229, or email at dspurlin@isothermal.edu.
Dragon Boat Paddle Clinic Set
Certification Earned
File photo
Dragon boat racing (sport and festival) is among the fastest growing of team water sports, with tens of thousands of participants in various organizations and clubs in around 60 countries, says Diane Barrett, interim event coordinator of Lake Lure dragon boat races. The sport is recognized for the camaraderie, strength and endurance fostered among participants, and also has become a very popular corporate and charitable sport, she says. The third annual dragon boat race and festival in Lake Lure will be May 8. Anyone wishing to participate in the popular sport is invited to the Lake Lure Dragon Boat Paddle Clinic, March 20 and 21, at the Rumbling Bald Resort on Lake Lure. Professional coaches will teach participants how to paddle a dragon boat. The two-day event includes on-the-water paddling and reviewing video of the classes and receiving feedback from coaches. For more event information and to register on-line for this very special clinic, go to www.lureofthedragons.org. Number of participants is limited. You may also call Barrett at 828-625-2812 for more information or to register.
Kids R Us, Inc. Forest City Center 247-1717 – Pat
Rutherfordton Center 286-9979 - Ellen
Now Enrolling Children 0-12 years. 1st and 2nd Shifts Weekend Care Rutherford Center only Transportation Provided (if needed in general area) Diapers & Wipes Provided at Forest City Center
Contributed photo
Clyde and Deborah Keller of Rutherfordton recently completed the Duke University Nonprofit Management Certification Course. This certification covers the many different aspects of nonprofit management including financial accounting and board development. The couple operate Tanstaafl Technical Consulting, Clark Road, Rutherfordton, and are on the board of Rutherford Community Theatre.
Liberty Daycare A Ministry of Liberty Baptist Church
Openings for all ages Serving Ellenboro and the surrounding areas
open 6.30am to 6.00 pm Providing Loving Care in a Christian Environment State approved food program
821 Webb Rd. Ellenboro
828-453-8700
Healthy Meals & Snacks Professional Speech Therapist available thru Alpha & Omega (screening) “Teach them the good way to walk’’ 1 Kings 8:37
6C — The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010
local
Fireside Bookstore events
In Uniform Brown graduates basic
SAN ANTONIO, Tex. — Air Force Airman 1st Class Julian L. Brown graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Tex. The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare Brown principles and skills. Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force. Brown is a 2004 graduate of R-S Central High School and received an associate’s degree from Isothermal
Community College in 2008. He is the son of Juanita Brown of Rutherfordton.
Dayberry completes basic COLUMBUS, GA — Army Pvt. Danny T. Dayberry has graduated from basic infantry training at Fort Benning, Columbus, Ga. During the nine weeks of training, the soldier received training in drill and ceremonies, weapons, map reading, tactics, military courtesy, military justice, physical fitness, first aid, and Army history, core values and traditions. Additional training included development of basic combat skills and battlefield operations and tactics, and experiencing use of various weapons and weapons defenses available to the infantry crewman. Dayberry is the son of Tammie Sides of Ellenboro. He is a 2009 graduate of East Rutherford High School.
New books arrive at libraries
FOREST CITY- New Books at the Rutherford County Library and municipal libraries include: Norris Public Library, Rutherfordton Fiction “True Blue” by David Baldacci “Nine Dragons” by Michael Connelly “U is for Undertow” by Sue Grafton “Breathless” by Dean Koontz “The River Knows” by Amanda Quick “Altar of Eden” by James Rollins “Push” by Sapphire Non-fiction “Talking about Detective Fiction” by P.D. James “What the Dog Saw” by MalcolmGladwell Rutherford County Library: Non-Fiction “Complete Guide to Finishing Basements” by Black and Decker “Republican Gomorrah: Inside the Movement that Shatter a Party” by Max Blumenthal “Clinton Tapes: Wrestling History with
the President” by Taylor Branch “Rold of a Lifetime: Reflections on Faith, Family and Significant Living” by James Brown “Light Blue Region” by Art Chansky “Tiling” by Josh Garskof “How To Make a Fortune from the Biggest Baleout in U.S. History” by Ron Insana “AARP Retirement Survival Guide” by Julie Jason “Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original” by Robin Kevin “Superfreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitues and Why...” by Steven Levitt “One Simple Act” by Debbie Macomber “The Remains of Company D: A Story of the Great War” by James Carl Nelson “Moon River and Me” by Andy Williams Fiction “A Matter of Class” by Mary Balough “The Hidden Flame” by Davis T. Bunn “The Disciple” by Stephen Coontz “Burn” by Ted Dekker
“Days of Gold” by Jude Deveraux “Too Much Money” by Dominick Dunn “June Bug” by Chris Fabry “The Honor of Spies” by W.E.B. Griffin “31 Hours” by Marsha Hamilton “Deeper Than the Dead” by Tami Hoag “I, Sniper” by Stephen Hunter “Eyes on the Prize” by Sunni Jeffers “Breathless” by Dean Koontz Mountains Branch, Lake Lure: Fiction “Whistlin’ Dixie in a Nor’eastern” by Lisa Patton “No Less Than Victory” by Jeff Shaara “The Honor of Spies by Spies” by W. E.B. Griffin “Fired Up” by Jayne Ann Krentz “Days of Gold” by Jude Deveraux “Burn” by Ted Dekker “When Christ and His Saint Slept” by Sharon Kay Penmad “Altar of Eden” by James Rollins “Deeper than the Dead” by Tami Hoag.
FOREST CITY — Upcoming Events at Fireside Books and Gifts here are: Monday, Jan.11 5:30 p.m, Fireside Book Club meets Reading “The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls
Batt Humphreys, with his historical Southern novel, “Dead Weight” Fans of Harlan Coben and Mary Jane Clark will love this investigative title.
Wednesday, Jan.13 5:30 p.m. Literary Book Club meets New members welcome
Adult “Blood Sins” by Kay Hooper “Hounded to Death” by Rita Mae Brown “Born of Ice” by Sherrilyn Kenyon “White Witch, Black Curse” by Kim Harrison “The Wicked Duke Takes a Wife” by Jillian Hunter “Untraceable” by Laura Griffin “Blood and Bone” by William Lashner “Dear John” by Nicholas Sparks “Saving Cicadas” by Nicole Seitz “A Reliable Wife” by Robert Goolrick “Breathless” by Dean Koontz “A Separate Country” by Robert Hicks “Serena” by Ron Rash “Ageless Memory” by Harry Lorayne “The Remains of
Monday, Feb. 8 5:30 p.m. Fireside Book Club meets Wednesday, Feb. 10 5:30 p.m. Literary Book Club meets Friday, Feb. 12 7 to 9 p.m. Author Event Fireside welcomes Amy Greene with her debut novel set in the Appalachian Mountains, “Bloodroot.” Fans of Ron Rash, Lee Smith and Tony Earley will enjoy this title. Friday, Feb.19 6 to 8 p.m. Author Event Fireside welcomes
New Releases/ Bestsellers at Fireside
Company D” by James Nelson “Divine Misdemeanors” by Laurell K. Hamilton Children “What Your First Grader Needs to Know” by James Hirsch “Too Many Toys” by David Shannon “Nubs by Major” Brian Dennis “Pat the Beastie” by Hennik Drescher “Monsterology” by Candlewick Press “Warriors:Versus” by DK Publishing “Snore, Dinosaur, Snore” by John Bendall Brunello Juniors “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days” by Jeff Kinney “Fat Boy Chronicles” by Lang Buchanan “Mysterious Benedict Society/Prisoner’s Dilemma” by Trenton Lee Stewart Teens/Young Adult “The Ever Breath” by Julianna Baggott “Freaks and Revelations” by Davida Wills Hurwin
Contributed photo
Dr. Guy Winker and Dr. Nancy Winker of Rutherfordton read their book “Abigail Ann and the Santa Claus Plan” at Fireside Bookstore Dec. 19. The children had a pajama party and enjoyed story time and making snowflakes.
The Strings of Evenson Christmas Concert
Contributed photo
The Strings of Evensong Christmas concert took place Sunday, Dec. 20, at Spencer Baptist Church in Spindale. The ensemble, directed by Sharon Lawrence, performed a varied program of traditional, pops, and classical holiday favorites. Members of the ensemble are Brad Lail, Cole Powell, Will Amos, Wendi Garcia, Natalie Flack, Robert Capaldo, Andrew Deaton, Katie Johnson, Addie Lavender, Rebekah Shields, Elizabeth Phillips, Katherine Dedmon, Seth Medford, Brandon Bailey, Randy Rasico, James Withrow, Sarah Coyne, Denise Scruggs, Jef Flack, Mack McKeithan, Ralph Brooks, Christina Shahan, Martha Pennington, Eben Mann, Nancy Womack, Marsha Goodwin, Edith Routh, Rick Mullins, Doug Trammel, Marnie Beaver, Norman Moore and Gail Wilson. For more information about Strings of Evensong, contact Lawrence at 245-3282.
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The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010 — 7C
Sunday Break
Unapolgetic girl watcher can’t see wife’s humiliation Dear Abby: My husband constantly leers at women. He bases many of his choices on the “best views” available for girl watching: his seat in a restaurant, where he parks to pick up the kids from high school, seats at sporting events that are close to the cheerleaders, even TV shows that feature cute blondes — the scantier clad the better. The most upsetting incident happened when we were saying goodbye to our daughter whom we had taken to college. With tears in my eyes, I turned to my husband for comfort. Abby, instead of offering any, his eyes were glued on the rear end of a cute co-ed as she
Dear Abby Abigail van Buren
crossed the lobby. He either denies he’s doing it, becomes defensive, says I need help or tells me I’m “overreacting” — that ALL men do it. AM I overreacting? — I’m Over Here Dear Here: If your husband was 20 years younger, his behavior would be classified as “boys will be boys.” But he is no longer a boy, and the older he gets the more his behavior is beginning to resemble that of a creepy old man. Most men may look
Keloid scars hard to treat Dear Dr. Gott: My 14-year-old son recently had a keloid scar removed from the crease of his neck for the third time and had it radiated for the second time. Should I have consulted with more than one radiologist? Is there more than one way to radiate a keloid scar? Are there any other postoperative treatments to prevent the body from producing collagen? Dear Reader: Keloids are overgrown scars that are raised and typically reddish in color. They result from various skin injuries, which may include burns, cuts, surgical incisions, minor bumps or scrapes, or even rubbing from certain articles of clothing or jewelry. Normal scars are formed when skin cells and connective tissue cells known as fibroblasts multiply to repair an injury. The fibroblasts deposit gristle-like fibers that hold the wound closed. If the fibroblasts continue to multiply after the wound is repaired, an overabundance of scar tissue forms, resulting in a keloid. These lesions are benign tumors and never become malignant. They are primarily a cosmetic annoyance but may become large, itchy or even painful. Keloids are notoriously hard to treat, and recurrence is common. It is also fairly common for new ones
PUZZLE
Ask Dr. Gott Dr. Peter M. Gott
to form, because they are the result of a known or unknown injury in susceptible people (such as those with a family history, personal history or darker skin pigmentation often seen in African-Americans or Asians). There is no treatment that will completely rid the patient of the keloid, but there are several methods that may change the appearance or reduce the discomfort after one has formed. These include steroid injections, radiation or laser therapy, surgical removal (which itself may cause new keloids to form) and cryosurgery (freezing). Initial treatment often begins with long-acting steroid injections directly into the lesion once a month. This typically causes it to become less noticeable and flatter in appearance; however, it may take up to six months before results are seen. Laser treatments are usually favorable for improving skin color and texture but may not flatten the scar. Cryosurgery is an excellent option for those with small keloids and lightly pigmented skin.
occasionally, but it appears your husband is obsessive. He owes you an apology for his lack of sensitivity regarding your feelings and should make an effort at behavior modification. Staying in an unhappy marriage because the idea of starting over “seems scary” is the wrong reason. But before you throw in the towel, both of you should talk to a marriage counselor — or an optometrist who can help your husband practice tunnel vision. Dear Abby: My 18-year-old son, “Brandon,” dated several girls in high school — none seriously. But now that he’s thinking about colleges, he
has fallen head-over-heels for someone named “Michelle.” I’m OK with that; my problem is Michelle’s mother. It’s like she’s trying to get them married as soon as possible. This woman manipulates situations so that her daughter and Brandon spend the majority of their time at her house. Every time we make plans to have Michelle over for dinner or a movie, there’s either a reason she can’t come, or her mother calls asking her to return home. Michelle’s mom constantly calls and texts my son. On Facebook she carries on about how much she misses him. Whenever Brandon makes a comment about
his wonderful girlfriend, her mother chimes in with, “What about her wonderful mother?” Brandon is being set up and manipulated, but becomes defensive if I try to point it out. We live in a small town, and I have had several unsolicited warnings of “watch out for the mother” whenever people find out who Brandon is dating —Level-headed Dear Level-headed: It appears that Michelle’s mother is living vicariously through her daughter and is trying to “help” her land your son. Although the woman’s behavior is over-the-top, I doubt that confronting her would discourage her.
Cat “boss” is joined by kitten at pet center Lacy, the Community Pet Center’s office cat, has been our boss for nearly 4 years! She’s been the queen, official greeter, and diva supreme. Lacy’s never liked other four-legged creatures and when they come into our office, she lets them know they’re not welcome. Her glare always put them in their place! However, unbeknownst to Lacy, another four-legged creature was about to gain office stature! Two little kittens were placed in Kennel #9, the feral cat run, but they kept “escaping.” They were always walking around, greeting people and making themselves visible and one of them got adopted. That left the scrawny little gray and white tabby. One nasty, cold, rainy Saturday, at closing time, this kitten was following everyone around. The volunteers couldn’t leave him out and made him a bed complete with food and water in the Cat Room. On Monday, the kitten continued greeting everyone and following the volunteers around. Slowly, he started visiting our office and then he started staying, sleeping and eating there. However, it became clear that Reggie, named by our youth volunteers, wasn’t well. A vet visit determined that he had a 104 fever and a very bad upper respiratory illness. Two antibiotics later, Reggie was back in our office and getting better. Soon he was well enough to go back to the vet for neutering and vaccines. Everyone became really attached to him, but it was also clear that Reggie wasn’t your normal streetsmart kitten. Whether it is neurological damage or mental challenges, Reggie definitely lacks street-smarts. However, what Reggie is lacking, he makes up for with cheerfulness, constant purring, and enthusiastic interest in everything and everyone around him. He finds the smallest and silliest things
IN THE STARS Your birthday, Jan. 10; In the year ahead, take advantage of any opportunity to learn something new and strengthen your educational base. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — When spending time with friends who are financially better off, don’t put on any pretenses about your finances. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — If you have to do something chancy, put it off until later in the day. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) — Don’t let political or religious issues about which you feel strongly surface when in the company of someone who feels totally the opposite. You could provoke a huge fight. ARIES (March 21-April 19) — Don’t build your hopes and expectations on shifting sands because they are likely to be swept away with the first wave. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — Although things may not go exactly as planned early on, keep plugging away and don’t give up on your hopes. If you have enough stick-to-itiveness, you’ll eventually make things work. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) — It might be best to postpone tackling a distasteful task until you’re in a better frame of mind. If you take it on while you’re harboring a bad attitude, you could bungle the job. CANCER (June 21-July 22) — Be doubly careful if you are handling the resources of another. If funds are missing at the end of the day, you will be responsible for making up the shortfall. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — Your attention span might not be up to its usual standards, so be careful about what duties you take on. Avoid jobs or activities where a sharp mind is essential. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — In order to expedite matters, you could take some dubious shortcuts. This would make productivity iffy, but more importantly, it could make you an accident waiting to happen. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) — More self-discipline than usual might be required to live within your budget and not take on any more financial obligations. Subdue inclinations to splurge. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) — Others will be depending on your reliability so don’t make a commitment that could be difficult to keep. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) — There’s a good chance you will find more reasons than anyone can count to put off your duties. If this only affects you, fine; if it affects others, it’s a different matter.
The Pet Project Produced by Jo-Ann Close and Lynne Faltraco Community Pet Center
to play with. Even folks who aren’t cat lovers, want a cat like Reggie! Never grouchy, Reggie is always happy and makes us laugh! Reggie has solidified his place in everyone’s hearts-even Lacy’s. Reggie is the first and, perhaps the last, fourlegged creature that she has fallen in love with. Reggie takes his office duties very seriously, but in a different way than Lacy whose presence conveys to all-she is the boss. You know that when you immediately walk into the “her” office. Reggie is much more engaged in the physical activities of our office. You might find him making copies, checking the fax machine, cleaning transport crates, supervising the typing, sending e-mails, answering the phone by standing on it to retrieve voice mail messages, folding blankets, greeting people, sitting on a special lap, sharing food at our Pet Food Pantry and, of course, playing with Lacy. Everyone loves Reggie and are so glad he decided to adopt us. If you haven’t met him, please stop by. You’ll understand immediately! And, if you’re interested in adopting, please let Reggie help you find a kitten, cat, puppy or dog.
Easy homemade bread baking Winter is the perfect time for home-baked bread. It’s not hard to do, but it can be time-consuming. The smell that fills your home and by Sara Noel the taste makes the effort worthwhile. I’ve included three easy recipes that will round off your bread-baking repertoire. The monkey bread is so simple that kids can help you make it. Italian Bread 1 cup water, warmed 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons sugar 1-1/2 teaspoons dry yeast 3 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 egg white 2 tablespoons cornmeal Add the ingredients into a bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Turn on the bread machine to dough setting. Watch for the first bit, and add flour as needed to get good dough (elastic and not sticky). Get a cookie sheet ready by lightly oiling with olive oil, and sprinkle on cornmeal. Form the dough into a loaf, and set on cookie sheet with a tea towel to cover until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Cut slits diagonally in the loaf with a sharp knife. Brush with egg white. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. When you knock the bottom of the bread, it will sound hollow. — Nancy Monkey Bread 1 cup sugar 2 teaspoons cinnamon 3 packages of buttermilk-biscuit tubes 1 cup butter 1/2 cup brown sugar Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter a Bundt pan. Mix the 1 cup of sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon together. Set aside 1/2 cup of this mixture for later. Put the rest in a ziploc bag. Take three packages of buttermilk-biscuit tubes (10 per roll), and cut each roll into four pieces. Drop roll pieces into 1/2 cup cinnamon-sugar mixture in a plastic zippered bag, and coat a few at a time. Drop the sugarcoated pieces into a well-buttered Bundt pan (don’t squish roll pieces when placing them in the Bundt pan). Put 1/2 cup of the leftover sugar-cinnamon mix and whatever’s left in the zippered bag and 1/2 cup packed brown sugar and 1 cup of butter (two sticks) into a small saucepan. Bring this mixture just to a boil; take off heat right away. Carefully drizzle over the roll pieces. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes. Cool slightly in an upright position, and then tip the pan over onto a large platter to remove the monkey pull-apart bread. Pull apart the pieces, eat and enjoy. Great served warm or cold. — Ellen
Frugal Living
8C — The Sunday Courier, Forest City, NC, Sunday, January 10, 2010
LOCAL
Flight
turret gunner Al Albro, waist gunner Russell Lachman and tail gunContinued from Page 1C ner Herbert Guild. Stahlman was flying his last scheduled misunrealistic “hot” landsion as a replacement ing. She took all for regular co-pilot, the runway as the Grady Cumbie. The “Banshee” noise finally abated, and came to an latter had been hospitalized the day before inglorious stop in the with an ear problem. mud just beyond the Lachman was also concrete runway. a “sub,” filling in for Men and machines Abbott in the waist. raced to the now silent DeLancey made it as and lonely aircraft. The ambulance and medical far as the end of the runway, where he sat staff were there first. The fire truck....ground down with knees drawn up, arms crossed and and air personnel... head down. The ordeal jeeps, truck, bikes..... was over, and now the Out came one of the crew members from the drama was beginning a waist door, then anoth- mental re-play. Then a strange scene er. Strangely quiet. The took place. scene was almost weird. Group CO Col. Frank Men stood by as if in P. Hunter had arrived shock, not knowing after viewing the landwhether to sing or cry. ing from the tower and Either would have was about to approach been acceptable. deLancey. He was The medics quietly physically restrained made their way to the nose by way of the waist by flight surgeon Dr. Robert Sweet. door as the remainder “Colonel, that young of the crew began exitman doesn’t want to ing. And to answer the talk now. When he is obvious question, “what ready you can talk to happened?” him, but for now leave “What happened?” him alone.” was easy to see. The Sweet handed pills out nose was a scene of utter destruction. It was to each crew member and told them to go to as though some giant their huts and sleep. aerial can opener had No dramatics, no campeeled the nose like eras, no interviews. The an orange, relocating crew would depart the shreads of metal, plexinext day for “flak leave” glass, wires and tubes to shake off the stress. on the cockpit windAnd then be expected shield and even up to back early in November. the top turret. The left (Just in time to resume cheek gun hung limp, “normal” activities on a like a broken arm. mission to Merseburg!) One man pointed to Mission No. 98 from the crease in chin turNuthampstead had ret. No mistaking that begun at 0400 that mark! A German 88 morning of Oct. 15, anti-aircraft shell had 1944. It would be exploded in the lap of Cologne (again), led the togglier. This would be George by CA pilots Robert Templeman of the Abbott of Mount 602nd, Frank Schofield Labanon, Pa. He had of the 601st and Charles been a waist gunner Khourie of the 603rd. before training to take over the bombardier’s Tragedy and death role. appeared quickly Still in the cockpit, and early that day. physically and emotion- Templeman and pilot ally exhausted, were Bill Scott got the 602nd pilot Larry deLancoff at the scheduled ey and co-pilot Phil 0630 hour, but at Stahlman. approximately 0645 Navigator Ray LeDoux Khouri and pilot Bill finally tapped deLancey Meyran and their entire on the shoulder and crew crashed on takeoff suggested they get out. in the town of Anstey. Engineer turret gunAll were killed. ner Ben Ruckel already Schofield and Harold had made his way to the Stallcup (Forest City waist and was exiting native) followed sucalong with radio opera- cessfully with the 601st, tor Wendell Reed, ball with deLancey flying
on their left wing in the lead element. The ride to the target was routine, until the flak started becoming “unroutinely” accurate. “We were going through heavy flak on the bomb run,” remembered deLancey. “I felt the plane begin to lift as the bombs were dropped, then all of a sudden we were rocked by a violent explosion. My first thought – ‘a bomb exploded in the bomb bay’ – was immediately discarded as the top of the nose section peeled back over the cockpit blocking the forward view.” “It seemed like the whole world exploded in front of us,” added Stahlman. “The instrument panel all but disintegrated and layers of quilted batting exploded in a million pieces. It was like a momentary snowstorm in the cockpit.” It had been a direct hit in the nose. Killed instantly was the togglier, Abbott. Navigator LeDoux, only three feet behind Abbott, was knocked unconscious for a moment, but was miraculously alive. Although stunned and bleeding, LeDoux made his way to the cockpit to find the two pilots struggling to maintain control of an airplane that by all rights should have been in its death plunge. LeDoux said there was nothing anyone could do for Abbott, while Ruckel opened the door to the bomb bay and signaled to the four crewman in the radio room that all was OK – for the time being. The blast had torn away the top and much of the sides of the nose. Depositing enough of the metal on the windshield to make it difficult for either of the pilots to see. “The instrument panel was torn loose and all the flight instruments were inoperative with the exception of the magnetic compass mounted in the panel above the windshield. And its accuracy was questionable. The radio and intercom were gone, the oxygen lines broken and there was a ruptured hydraulic line under my rudder ped-
Contributed photo
Amazingly, the flight crew of this B-17 survived and were able to land this plane struck by a German bomb during World War II.
als,” said deLancey. All this complicated by the sub-zero temperature at 27,000 feet blasting into the cockpit. “It was apparent that the damage was severe enough that we could not continue to fly in formation or at high altitude. My first concern was to avoid the other aircraft in the formation, and to get clear of the other planes in case we had to bail out. We eased out of formation, and at the same time removed our oxygen masks as they were collapsing on our faces as the tanks were empty.” At this point the formation continued on its prescribed course for home – a long, slow turn southeast of Cologne and finally westward. DeLancey and Stahlman turned left, descending rapidly and hoping, they were heading west. (And also, not into the gun sights of German fighters.) Without maps and navigation aids, they had difficulty getting a fix. By this time they were down to 2,000 feet. “We finally agreed that we were over Belgium and were flying in a southwesterly direction,” said the pilot. “About this time a pair of P-51’s showed up and flew a loose formation on us across Belgium. I often wondered what they thought as they looked at the mess up front.”
“We hit the coast right along the BelgiumHolland border, a bit farther north than we had estimated. Ray said we were just south of Walcheren Island .” Still in an area of ground fighting, the plane received some small arms fire. This gesture was returned in kind by Albro, shooting from one of the waist guns. “We might have tried for one of the airfields in France, but having no maps this also was questionable. Besides, the controls and engines seemed to be OK, so I made the decision to try for home.” “Once over England, LeDoux soon picked up landmarks and gave me course corrections taking us directly to Nuthampstead. It was just a great bit of navigation. Ray just stood there on the flight deck and gave us the headings from memory.” Nearing the field, Stahlman let the landing gear down. That was an assurance. But a check of the hydraulic pump sent another spray of oil to the cockpit floor. Probably no brakes! Nevertheless, a flare from Ruckel’s pistol had to announce the “ready or not” landing. No “downwind leg” and “final approach” this time. Straight in! “The landing was strictly by guess and feel,” said DeLancey.
Greene Continued from Page 1C
morning not long ago, I got a surprise envelope in the mail. When I pulled out the sample title page for Bloodroot, my husband and I gasped at the same time. It was another one of those milestone moments for me. It made the whole thing seem more real.”
“Without instruments, I suspect I came in a little hot. Also, I had to lean to the left to see straight ahead. The landing was satisfactory, and I had sufficient braking to slow the plane down some. However, as I neared the taxiway, I could feel the brakes getting ‘soft’. I felt that losing control and blocking the taxiway would cause more problems than leaving the plane at the end of the runway.” That consideration was for the rest of the group. Soon three squadrons of B-17’s would be returning, and they didn’t need a derelict airplane blocking the way to their respective hardstands. Stahlman, supremely thankful that his career with the 398th had come to an end, soon returned home and in due course became a captain with Eastern Airlines. Retired in 1984, Stahlman said his final Eastern flight “was a bit more routine” than the one 40 years before. DeLancey and LeDoux received decorations on Dec. 11, 1944, for their parts in the Oct. 15 drama. DeLancey was awarded the Silver Star for his “miraculous feat of flying skill and ability” on behalf of General Doolittle, CO of the Eighth Air Force. LeDoux for his “extraordinary navigation skill,” received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Greene is working on a second novel and feels she has a better game plan going into the project than she had when beginning Bloodroot, but fame hasn’t gone to her head. “I still struggle with insecurity about my writing, I still have the same psychological ups and downs. But maybe that’s not a bad thing. If I ever reach a point where I think I have nothing else to learn, the spark really will be gone, I won’t be a writer anymore,” Examiner.com.
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