Daily Courier, November 26, 2009 by Digital Courier

Have a Happy Thanksgiving! Sports Stumbling Steelers The Super Bowl champs have been up-and-down in a roller coaster season that could leave them out of the postseason

Page 7

Thursday, November 26, 2009, Forest City, N.C.

50¢

Speaker tells kids character counts

NOTICE

By ALLISON FLYNN Daily Courier Staff Writer

Due to holiday press schedules, The Daily Courier was printed early Wednesday night.

SPORTS

Boxer overcame incredible odds to succeed Page 7

GAS PRICES

Low: High: Avg.:

$2.49 $2.61 $2.55

Stacy Beam, right, works out with Michael Greene at Changing Lives Fitness Center. Three and a half years ago Beam was in a car wreck in Virginia Beach, and doctors said he would never walk alone again or drive a car. Through therapy, Beam has accomplished both and continues to improve.

Thankful for every step Local man gives thanks every day for renewed health Text by Allison Flynn Photos by Garrett Byers

ad doctors been right, Stacy Beam wouldn’t be walking alone. And he certainly wouldn’t be driving a car. Nor would he be playing practical jokes on his mom, Rhonda. But doctors didn’t know Stacy. He’s proved them wrong and aims to continue doing so. Just after midnight July 15, 2006, Stacy and a friend were struck in the car they were driving by a drunk driver in Virginia Beach, Va. A former state and two time world champion kart racer, wrecks

DEATHS Forest City

James Shores

Bostic

Roger Silliman Jack Leake Elsewhere Bill Kent Sr. Page 5

WEATHER

Contributed photo

Beam and another passenger were struck twice by a drunk driver on July 15, 2006. In a coma for 16 days, Beam initially was given a 10 percent chance of survival.

weren’t unusual for Stacy, so when his dad, Joe, received the phone call saying his son had been in an accident, he didn’t think much of it. “I told them I’d be there some time during the day the next day,” Joe said. “The voice on the other end of the phone said ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea if you want to see your son alive.’” “You don’t wish that on anybody in the world.” Stacy spent 16 days in a coma, with doctors initially only giving him a 10 percent chance to live. In August he was flown from Virginia Beach to CarePartners in Asheville, where he underwent therapy to teach him to do everything

from sitting up, to eating, walking and talking again. “It was exactly like starting over, except he was a grown man,” said his mom, Rhonda. Before leaving Asheville, doctors told the Beams that Stacy would never be able to walk down the street alone, would require 24-hour care and would never drive a car again. “I remember sitting there thinking ‘This is never going to happen,’” Rhonda said. She was right. Stacy began therapy to walk, trembling with each step like a toddler learning for the first time. He came to Rhonda’s house in October 2006, and it was there she knew for sure he was going to beat the odds. “When we got home he Please see Beam, Page 17

You only live once – why would you want to give up? High

Low

61 35 Today, sunny. Tonight, clear. Complete forecast, Page 10

RUTHERFORDTON – As a middle schooler, Donnie Thurman hated the reflection he saw in the mirror. A self-professed nerd, for a time Thurman let his grades slide and back talked teachers in order to appear cool. But after his science teacher put him in afterschool detention, and he saw what it meant to truly be cool, Thurman decided being a nerd might not be so bad after all. “I was told I had always been and would always be a nerd and a punk,” Thurman said, speaking to a group of eighth graders at R-S Middle School Tuesday morning. Thurman was chosen to speak to the students, said Principal John McSwain, to motivate them to do better. Administrators first heard Thurman speak five years ago during a Beta Convention, said Social Studies Teacher Judith Helton. Thurman served as his Beta Club vice president as well as the state Beta Club vice president, and finally as the national vice president of Beta. “We can tell them we love them and want them to do well, but sometimes they need to hear it from somebody outside,” McSwain said. “We’re trying to get them to think about longterm goals – a lot of kids think it’s cool not to do their best.” Please see Character, Page 6

FC lights going on tonight From staff reports

A half million lights will begin to twinkle brightly tonight at 7 when the Town of Forest City throws the switch for the annual holiday display. The honor of turning on the lights this year goes to Natalie Brock, 7. Seeing the Christmas lights on Thanksgiving is a tradition for the Brock family, made even more special this year since Natalie gets to turn them on. By arriving early, participants can listen to music provided by the Thermal Belt Brass Quintet, followed by an appearance by Santa at his Santa House.

Local woman will be on Dr. Oz’s diabetes show By JEAN GORDON Daily Courier Staff Writer

INSIDE Classifieds . . . 15-16 Sports . . . . . . . . 7-9 County scene . . . . 6 Opinion . . . . . . . . 4

FOREST CITY — Pam Whiteside was walking toward Times Square Nov. 11, when she and her niece, Alicia Moss, and sisters were greeted by Dr. Oz and Bob Greene, Oprah’s trainer. Oz and Greene were conducting a diabetic screening at Times Square and they asked Pam to come over to have her glucose checked. Pam, who was diagnosed about five years ago, actually wanted her glucose checked. A diabetic for five years, she has been on a diet and has tried to add walking in her daily life.

Vol. 41, No. 282

Now on the Web: www.thedigitalcourier.com

Please see Show, Page 6

Contributed photo

Dr.Oz and Clara Gray, aunt of Pam Whiteside, in New York City.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The

Daily Courier, Forest City, NC, Thursday, November 26, 2009

(URRY IN FOR THE "EST $EALS !ROUND PLUS &53)/. 6/4%$ -/4/2 42%.$ #!2 /& 4(% 9%!2

Shop This Areas Best Selection of Pre-owned Cars, Trucks & SUVs! 00â&#x20AC;&#x2122; LINCOLN CONTINENTAL

Now

7,295

03â&#x20AC;&#x2122; MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GT

Was $11,995

9,980

Now

11,495

06â&#x20AC;&#x2122; FORD F150 SUPER CAB STX 8377. Full service check, new tires, bedliner,

Was $18,295

Now

15,995

04â&#x20AC;&#x2122; PONTIAC GTO

6,995

UC10145.

Fully serviced, new tires, Extra low payments

Was $11,995

Now

10,980

07â&#x20AC;&#x2122; MUSTANG V-6

UC-10146. Automatic, new tires, fully serviced, 40K miles

Was $17,995

15,300

Now

V-6 NC0248A Pony Pack, local trade new tires, 53K miles

Was $17,900

08â&#x20AC;&#x2122; JEEP LIBERTY

Now

15,800

09â&#x20AC;&#x2122; FORD FLEX

UT 83-93 Four Door, Four wheel drive, 7k miles

Was $24,980

Compare to New

19,980

RT80406. Rare all wheel drive model SEL, cutting edge 3rd row vehicle. Same As New.

Was $32,995

09â&#x20AC;&#x2122; ROUTAN VOLKSWAGON

Now

29,980

08â&#x20AC;&#x2122; MERCEDES

10142. Full power, sunroof, powerdoors, alloy wheels, k miles

NT 0191B 2004. Local trade, 1 owner, adult driver, 22k miles

OWN A PIECE OF CLASSIC AMERICAN MUSCLE!

Now

08â&#x20AC;&#x2122; DODGE CALIBER

06â&#x20AC;&#x2122; MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE

Automatic, 65K miles

Now

Was $7995

Local trade, very nice car, full power, 43K milles

Spider Convertible

Was $12,995

RT83-98B, Club Cab Local Trade Automatic Transmission 68K miles

05â&#x20AC;&#x2122; FORD TAURUS SEL

UC10147. Full power, fully serviced, 90k miles, excellent condition

Was $8995

95â&#x20AC;&#x2122; DODGE DAKOTA SPORT

Was $29,890

Now

27,567

UC 10111. Local car, sunroof, satelite radio, navigation system, only 22K miles

Was $41,460

Now

27,995

Stop in to speak with any of our highly training professional sales team.

(3 +EETER s 3ANDRA +EETER s -ISSY $ARNELL s 4ED !LLEN s ,YLE 3TURGIS s 3TEVE (ALLMAN 4RAVIS *OHNSON s "RIAN 'RIFlN s "ILLY 3CRUGGS s "RANDON -ULL s %MILY -C'EORGE "RUCE 9AGER s 2ALPH (ORD s $ENISE #ONDREY s 3ONNY $AVIS s 2ODNEY "URNS AND -ADISON &/2$ s ,).#/,. s -%2#529 s 2/53(

!7!2$ 7)..).' 3%26)#% 0!243 $%0!24-%.4 (/523

3%26)#% 0!243 (/523 -ON &RI AM UNTIL PM 3ATURDAY AM PM #,/3%$ 3UNDAY 3!,%3 (/523 -ON &RI AM UNTIL PM 3ATURDAY AM PM #,/3%$ 3UNDAY %!34 $)8/. ",6$ s (79 "90!33 !4 (79 s 3(%,"9 .#

s www.keeterford.com

Serving The Area For Over 70 Years!

The Daily Courier, Forest City, NC, Thursday, November 26, 2009 — 3

Local CHRISTMAS BOUTIQUE

Holiday events ‘Lanterns of Light’ set Saturday ELLENBORO — “Lanterns of Light,” a Christmas house tour in the Ellenboro community is Saturday, Nov. 29, from 5 to 8 p.m. Lanterns of Light begins at Walls Baptist Church, Walls Church Road. After a brief visit there and refreshments, visitors will begin the tour of other homes. Most all homes are located on Walls Church Road. Tickets are $5 with all proceeds going to the Walls Baptist Church Soup Kitchen. After the first visit at Walls Baptist, the public is invited to visit the homes of Mark and Lisa Carter, Rita and Edgar Hollifield, Eugene and Teresa Dodson, Heath and Cindy Bridges and Yvonne and James Bridges. Each home owner will welcome visitors with the Lanterns of Light.

Historical Society event Tuesday RUTHERFORDTON — The Rutherford County Historical Society will sponsor a holiday concert, Tuesday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m,. at First Baptist Church in Rutherfordton. A concert of secular holiday favorites from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s will be presented, under the direction of Lesley Bush, as well as traditional sacred anthems. Contemporary pieces will include Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas.” Other songs include “I’ll be Home for Christmas,” “Home for the Holidays” and “We Need a Little Christmas,” from the Broadway musical “Mame.” After the concert the singers and musicians will lead a possession down the sidewalk to St. John’s Historic Church for the annual lighting of the historical society’s Christmas tree. For more information, please call Bush at 447-1474, or e-mail him at lesleybush@bellsouth. net.

Lin Venhuizen examines items on display at the Artists Guild’s Christmas Boutique. Members of the Rutherford County Visual Artists Guild have their art and fine crafts on sale at the Visual Arts Center, 173 N. Main St., Rutherfordton. Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday until Dec. 24. Contributed photo

SAVE THE

DATE!

A Weekly Guide To What’s Coming Up In Our County! Please join us for our annual Balloon Discount - Holiday Drop In

at Meadowbrook Golf Club Tuesday, December 1st 5:30— 7:30 Hors d’oeuvres will be served

Call for more information 863-2690 Toll-free: 866-863-2690

Shop the Classifieds

Lantern Of Light Home Christmas Tour presented by

Wall’s Baptist ChurCh

749 Walls ChurCh rd. BostiC Nov. 28th 5pm-8pm Tour starts at Church Adults (12 and over) $5 Under 12 free. You can buy your ticket that day! Refreshments and tour of Sanctuary proceeds benefit

Wall’s Church Soup Kitchen

— The

Daily Courier, Forest City, NC, Thursday, November 26, 2009

■ A daily forum for opinion, commentary and editorials on the news that affects us all.

James R. Brown/ 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 Holiday time to truly give thanks

oday, Americans celebrate a truly unique American holiday with our traditional and sometimes unconventional observances of Thanksgiving. This holiday goes back to the time when European settlers first landed on the shores of this continent and scraped out their first harvest. It is a holiday that focuses on family and friends. It is a time to give thanks simply for being alive and having opportunity. Those who celebrated the legendary Thanksgiving feast were happy just to be alive and to know that they had food in their larders to help them survive through the winter. They were thanking their neighbors, the Native Americans, who taught them how to bring bounty from a strange land. Today, we have just as many reasons to be thankful. We each have our own. The sun is expected to shine today. Take a moment, go outside, face the sun, close your eyes and let the warmth soak into your face as you think about all the reasons you have to be thankful. In this hustle-bustle world of ours — think 4 a.m. at your friendly retail store on Black Friday — a private moment to remember the things in our life that truly matter is a precious moment.

Our readers’ views Understanding what is behind the scene To the editor: I am writing in response to the letter published on Nov. 18 regarding use of county cars. I have a very different view. The writer must have a somewhat skewed opinion of law enforcement personnel since he seems intent all through his letter of making them look as if they are not doing their job and using county cars for anything and everything in addition to performing their duties. No vocation is 100 percent free of wrongdoers. Just take a look at Wall Street and what happened there. The difference is that law enforcement works for the taxpayer and we seem to have a love/hate relationship with them. I am sure if you contacted the sheriff’s department and requested the log of employees, which car they drive, mileage, etc., they would be able to provide you with that information. I assume that you do realize their job consists of riding around all over the county, checking buildings, being out in the public, etc. Therefore, lots of miles, lots of public exposure in many, many places. Comments were made about deputies using their police cars for personal use. When you made these observations, did you stop and ask the deputies the scenario for why they were doing what they were doing? No, you did not. You just filled in what you thought the scenario was. Your first example was a police officer picking up his children at school. Do you know that these were his children? Even if they were his children, do you know the circumstances around why he was doing this? No, I am sure you do not. You just saw what you saw and decided to make a big deal of it. My favorite of your observations was that of seeing females riding in the front passenger seat of patrol vehicles. My, my — now that is really offensive to us taxpayers. Do you have any idea

what law enforcement officers actually do? These females you refer to could be anything from a social services worker who might be accompanying an officer to a call where children are involved. For all you know, that might be a plain clothes female officer accompanying a uniformed officer to a call. You apparently assume that if a female is riding with a male officer, there must be something going on. As a woman, your observations were somewhat offensive. I have been in the front seat of a patrol car and I can assure you, there was nothing salacious going on, and I personally find your comments and implications disgusting. Would you like for an officer to have it broadcast on the radio and Channel 13 to explain why there will be a female in the police car so that we taxpayers won’t get the wrong idea? Absurd. You say that you have seen county patrol cars parked at churches during non church hours or seen officers coming from fellowship halls. Do you have any idea the range of things this could have been about? You say you also observed as many as three county patrol cars parked at a private residence with officers out of their vehicles, sitting in rocking chairs and conversing with the resident. Do you know what this might have been about? Were these officers even on duty? Or do you know anything at all about what they were doing there? No. You do not. If you found their actions so offensive, why didn’t you go over and find out what was going on? These officers could have been on a call at this residence and were simply staying there to settle things down. Last, but not least, someone has actually seen officers pulled into a fire department talking on their cell phones. Now, that really is shameful. Do you realize the cell call they were on, more than likely was business? No, you do not realize that because you want to believe the worst. The writer, along with many

other observers, makes assumptions based on what they see and simply fill in what they think is going on. A simple term for that would be gossip. And that gossip is hurtful and costly. Do you see my point yet? Law enforcement is very, very public. They are supposed to be kind and speak to us on the street and yet be lethal when it is necessary. They must protect you and your property even after you make comments about their being unethical and improperly using a county vehicle and all of the other things you have implied. If they were called to your residence to protect you, even after all you have said, they would do so in a professional manner. You apparently feel that they should be as perfect as God. They are not even close to perfect and they must make decisions on the spur of the moment that could affect them for the rest of their lives. Have you ever had to make a split second decision whether or not to shoot someone while performing your duties at work? They are faced with that possibility every time they go on duty. They are spit on, urinated on, beaten and threatened and at the end of the day, they get to go home and do it all again tomorrow, all the while listening to the taxpayer whine about something that might not look right. Oh, also they get to go to court on their day off so they can make sure that the person they arrested actually goes to jail and are not turned right back out on the street to commit their crimes all over again. If you want to change something that would really save the taxpayer huge amounts of money, why don’t we do something about the people who pay for their groceries with food stamps and then go outside to load those groceries in a new BMW. But, you know what, that may not be their BMW. Maybe they borrowed it from a friend because they have no car. You see, things are not always what they seem. Myra Harris Bostic

Remembering special times at Cliffside school I stepped back in time at Cliffside Elementary School Monday. Once upon a time, it was my little feet that peeked from beneath that blue velvet curtain. The same wooden chairs are there, the same risers up to the stage. I guess only I have changed. How strange to be in the audience there not as a student. The last time I was a spectator there, my sister was in a play, and it hadn’t been that many years since I’d been a student so I wasn’t so far removed. As I sat waiting for kindergartners to present their holiday program, memories came flooding back — how special this school is. My grandfather was a gradu-

Total momsense Allison Flynn

ate of Cliffside School. My mama taught there for years and years — there’s a picture of her from the early years and I figured out by the date that I too was in that picture (tucked inside of her). When it came time in the 80s to upgrade the school’s wiring for air conditioning, my daddy was the one who won the bid and worked on the school. Looking at that stage, I thought about wearing a

green skirt and hat with a feather in it to be Alana-Dale in “Robin Hood” and white pants with a white, fluffy tail as the White Rabbit in “Alice in Wonderland.” Countless other times I was on that stage in my own pretend performances, playing with other teachers’ kids and the principal’s son on teacher work days. The Christmas play looked much like the one I took part in 27 years ago. There were angels, a part I always wanted because they got to wear sparkly wings. As an adult I realize I was cast as a bell because I had to dance and sing — and that fits my personality so much more appropriately than being an

angel would have. There are still a few of the same faces who were there when I was a student there. My former principal, Philip White, was seated near me in the auditorium, and I couldn’t help but tear up thinking about all the years he’s given to that school. And I couldn’t help but tear up to think about all the years my own mother spent teaching there. I wanted to peek into her old classroom, but decided my heart couldn’t take it. Cliffside School was, and is, a special place. Many of the friends I had there I still communicate with today. I am so very thankful for not only the sound education I received (without comput-

ers, Promethean boards or any other technology except for an overhead projector) but also for the friendships and discoveries I made about myself in nine years safe inside those halls. Teachers and the principal thanked me for coming Monday to cover their program. I feel it’s the least I can do for the community that’s given me and my family so much over the years. As I give thanks today for the many, many blessings in my life, I’ll say an extra thank you to the little corner of Rutherford County that I will forever call home. Flynn is editor/reporter for The Daily Courier. Contact her via e-mail at aflynn@thedigitalcourier.com.

The Daily Courier, Forest City, NC, Thursday, November 26, 2009

cessfully sued the CharlotteMecklenburg school system. The former Charlotte mayor and Republican candidate for governor sits on the board of a charter school, The News & Observer of Raleigh reported. Vinroot said other charter schools in the state could ask for three years’ worth of money from public schools. Now other school districts around the state are examining how closely they followed Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s practices and how much more money they will have to provide charter schools. Wake County might have to provide its 13 charter schools an extra $1 million a year. Durham County’s seven charter schools account for about 10 percent of the county’s student population.

FAYETTEVILLE (AP) — A task force of about 20 people is working on investigating the rape and slaying of a 5-year-old girl, said the police chief whose department is leading the probe. The Fayetteville police department continues to receive tips about the death of Shaniya Davis two weeks ago, The Fayetteville Observer reported Wednesday. The girl was reported missing by her mother on Nov. 10. Police said she was killed the same day. Her mother, Antoinette Davis, 25, is charged with filing a false police report, trafficking her daughter and child abuse involving prostitution. Mario McNeill, 29, an

acquaintance of Davis, is charged with murder, rape and kidnapping.

Athlete died of heart complications CULLOWHEE (AP) — An autopsy has found that a football player who died during his first preseason workout at Western Carolina University suffered complications from an enlarged heart. Ja’Quayvin Smalls died in July, hours after collapsing while running. The junior defensive back from Wando, S.C., had just transferred from Georgia Military College. The Asheville Citizen-Times reported Wednesday that an autopsy by Dr. Lawrence Selby found that sickle cell trait and exertion contributed to Smalls’ cardiac arrest.

Police Notes Sheriff’s Reports

n The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office responded to 127 E-911 calls Tuesday.

Rutherfordton

n The Rutherfordton Police Department responded to 44 E-911 calls Tuesday. n Crystal Scruggs Deyton reported a hit and run incident on a 2006 Kia Sedona. n Larry Wayne Beasley reported a breaking and entering and the theft of a generator.

Spindale

n The Spindale Police Department responded to 20 E-911 calls Tuesday.

Lake Lure

n The Lake Lure Police Department responded to no E-911 call Tuesday.

Forest City

n The Forest City Police Department responded to 49 E-911 calls Tuesday. n An officer of the Forest City Police Department reported a sexual offense. The incident occurred on Harmon Street. n An employee of Walmart, on Plaza Drive, reported an incident of larceny. (See arrests of Carter and Price.) n Rachel McIntyre reported a breaking and entering to an auto and larceny from same. n Susan Messer reported a breaking and entering to a storage building and larceny. The incident occurred on Daniel Road. n Katherine Simmons reported an incident of breaking and entering to an automobile and larceny from same.

Arrests

n Susan Palmer, 31, of Horse Shoe Drive, Ruther-

fordton; charged with simple assault, assault on a child and injury to real property; placed under a $10,000 secured bond. (FCPD) n Candice Megan Duncan, 25, of 1159 Padgett Rd., Union Mills; charged with misdemeanor larceny; released on a $1,000 secured bond. (RCSD) n Candice Meagan Duncan, 25, of 789 Bostic/ Sunshine Highway; charged with misdemeanor larceny; released on a $1,000 unsecured bond. (RCSD) n Michael Anthony Buckson, 38, of 312 Gidney St.; charged with obtain property by false pretense; placed under a $10,000 secured bond. (RCSD) n Misty Parker Yedro, 25, of 780 Withrow Road; charged with misdemeanor probation violation; no bond listed. (RCSD) n James David Whiteside, 42, of 280 Woodside Drive; charged with communicating threats; placed under a 48-hour hold. (RCSD) n Matthew Elliott Ferris, 18, of 609 Alaska St.; charged with simple possession of schedule II controlled substance; placed under a $1,000 secured bond. (RCSD) n Michael Allan Milam, 19, of 351 Eastview Drive; charged with simple possession of schedule VI controlled substance; placed under a $1,000 secured bond. (RCSD) n Jennifer April Jenkins, 23, of 207 Aqua Drive; charged with disorderly conduct, harassing phone call and communicating threats; released on a $3,000 unsecured bond. (RCSD) n Anna Marie Mooney, 24, of 701 W. Main St.; charged with unauthorized use of motor vehicle, three counts of obtain property by false pretense and attempted obtain property by false pretense; placed under

Obituaries Roger Silliman

Roger Silliman, 61 of Calton Road, Bostic, died Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009 at “Durham is the most his residence. severely impacted district A native of Bath, N.Y., he in the state by this ruling,” was a son of the late Lemuel said Hank Hurd, Durham Silliman and Esther Hall schools’ chief operating offi- Silliman. cer. He was an HVAC mechanic The Supreme Court deciat the Norfolk Navy Shipyard sion does not affect a and veteran having served in separate lawsuit filed in the Army during the Korean September against seven and Vietnam wars. school districts seeking local Survivors include a son, money for buildings, new David Silliman of Urbana, buses and equipment. Ill;, a daughter, Constance Charter schools have open Ivey of Tuscon, Ariz.; a brothenrollment and don’t charge er, Daniel Silliman of Maine; tuition. But they are run and two grandchildren. by private boards and are Memorial services will be exempt from many rules held privately by the family imposed on traditional pub- at a later date. lic schools, giving them more The Padgett and King flexibility to test learning Mortuary is serving the techniques or focus programs Silliman family. on at-risk children. Only 100 charter schools are allowed condolences www.padgettto operate in North Carolina Online king.com. at any time.

Jack Leake

Police Notes Task force working on rape, slaying case

Local/obituaries/State

School districts may owe charter schools money

RALEIGH (AP) — North Carolina public school leaders are reworking their budgets after a court ruling that could force them to pay charter schools millions of dollars. The state Supreme Court this month refused to review an appeals court ruling that said the CharlotteMecklenburg school system undercounted how much it owed charter schools. School districts with charter schools are supposed to pass along a per student share of local education money to the independent public schools. “The money that is going to be taken from them should have gone to the charter schools in the first place,” said Richard Vinroot, the lawyer who represented five charter schools that suc-

—

Nor’easter delivers message in bottle OCEAN CITY, N.J. (AP) — Last week’s nor’easter helped deliver a message in a bottle that was tossed into the ocean 24 years ago from New Jersey to North Carolina. Ocean City held a contest in 1985 to reward the vacationer whose bottle traveled the farthest. The message was written by Heidi Kay Werstler of Trembler’s Trailer Park in Pennsylvania. Workers at The Sanderling Resort & Spa in Duck, N.C., found the bottle while cleaning up after last week’s storm.

Whitney “Jack” Leake, 68, of 500 Robinson Creek Road, Bostic, died Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2009 at Hospice House, Forest City. Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Washburn & Dorsey Funeral Home.

James Shores James Banner Shores, 81, of Old Caroleen Road, Forest City, died Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2009 at his home. Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Harrelson Funeral Home.

Bill Kent Sr.

William L. “Bill” Kent Sr., 85, of Marion, died Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009 at the Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville. A native of Yancey County, he was a son the late William The contest has long since Luther and Mamie Thomas expired. But Ocean City wants to track down Werstler Kent. He was the last survivto award her a prize of salting charter member of West water taffy. Court Baptist Church, where he served his church for over 65 years as a deacon, trustee, choir director (youth and adult) and Sunday school teacher. He and his wife sang with the West Court Gospel a $36,000 secured bond. Quartet for over 50 years. He (RCSD) was a World War II veteran, n Jonathan Michael having served in the Army Chancey, 18, of 911 Air Corps. Stonecutter St., Spindale; Survivors include his wife charged with communicating of 67 years, Agnes Hughes threats; placed under a $500 Kent of the home; three sons, secured bond. (RPD) John Kent of Mooresville, n Davis Michael Cassidy, Randy Kent of Inman, 23, of 246 Tryon Road, S.C., and Sammy Kent of Rutherfordton; charged with Woodbridge, Va.; a sister, domestic violence protective Abbie Cooke of Hickory; order violation; placed under nine grandchildren and three a 48-hour hold. (RPD) great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be Citations held at 2 p.m. Friday at West Court Baptist Church with n Tayra Price, 17, of the Revs. Reid Cooper and Hollywood Street, Forest Ross Lewis officiating. The City; cited for larceny; family will receive friends released on a written promfrom noon to 2 p.m., prior ise to appear. (FCPD) to the service at the church. n Tiquah Carter, 16, of Interment will follow in the Chase High Road, Forest church cemetery. City; cited for larceny; In lieu of flowers, memorireleased on a written promals may be made to Gideon’s ise to appear. (FCPD) International, P.O. Box 788, Marion, NC 28752; or to EMS/Rescue the VAMC Hospice at 1100 n The Rutherford County Tunnel Road, Asheville, NC EMS responded to 25 E-911 28805. calls Tuesday. Westmoreland Funeral Home & Crematory, Marion, n The Volunteer Life is in charge of arrangements. Saving and Rescue, Hickory Nut Gorge EMS and Online condolences www.westmoRutherford County Rescue relandfuneralhome.com. responded to 12 E-911 calls Tuesday.

Fire Calls n Forest City firefighters responded to a motor vehicle crash and to a fire alarm. n Hudlow firefighters responded to a fire alarm. n Lake Lure firefighters responded to a fire alarm, assisted by Chimney Rock firefighters. n Rutherfordton firefighters responded to a motor vehicle crash, to a fire alarm and to an unknown type fire. n SDO firefighters responded to a fire alarm and to an industrial fire. n Union Mills firefighters responded to a motor vehicle crash, assisted by Shingle Hollow firefighters.

Deaths

Ira Hanford Ira “Babe” Hanford, who as an 18-year-old apprentice rode 20-1 shot Bold Venture to victory in the 1936 Kentucky Derby, has died. He was 91. He died Saturday in Ocala, Fla., following a long illness, said Virginia Hanford, his wife of 67 years. He was the oldest-living jockey to have won the Derby and the only apprentice to have done so. Hanford did not get a chance to ride Bold Venture in the Preakness because racing officials suspended him for 15 days following the Derby. He retired in 1953 without running in another

Derby. He is one of 22 jockeys to win the Run for the Roses in their only appearance. “It’s something that once you win, it never gets taken away,” Virginia Hanford told The Associated Press by phone on Wednesday. “It’s something that he always held very close to him.” Hanford said officials never told him why he was suspended, along with two other jockeys. During an interview with the AP in 2006, Hanford said he suspected it had to do with the rugged nature of the sport at the time. “I’ve always assumed it was for knocking down a horse,” he said. “I heard a few years ago that I was suspended for crossing over somewhere on the backside.” Back then, the starting gate didn’t have front or rear doors to lock the horses in a somewhat uniform line. They were led in and stood there until a bell rang. Hanford looked to his right and saw Bien Joli standing at an angle and about a neck in front of him and Bold Venture. He called out to jockey Lester Balaski to straighten his horse. “I didn’t get horse out of the mouth and the bell rang,” said Hanford, who as an apprentice got to carry less weight than senior riders. “When he made the first or second jump out of the gate, he hit me and turned me almost sideways.” Hanford and Bold Venture careened to the left and into Granville, knocking jockey Jimmy Stout to the ground. “That was a hell of a bump that I got and so did he,” Hanford said. “Bold Venture got a going over leaving the gate as bad as anybody, but he was very agile and he collected himself good. By the time I got to the first turn, he was maybe six or seven lengths off the lead.” Bold Venture’s trainer Max Hirsch replaced Hanford with George Woolfe for the Preakness, which the horse won. Bold Venture did not run in the Belmont. Brad Phillips ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Brad Phillips, a pioneer of Alaska tourism who launched the first cruise tours of Prince William Sound in the 1950s, has died. He was 84. Phillips died Monday in Seattle, the Anchorage Daily News reported Wednesday. Phillips founded Phillips Cruises and Tours, which remains one of Prince William Sound’s most popular glacier cruise tours. He also served as a state senator. H.C. Robbins Landon LONDON (AP) — H.C. Robbins Landon, a musicologist noted for his pioneering research on Franz Joseph Haydn and for writing popular works on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, has died at age 83. Robbins Landon moved from his native America to Europe in the late 1940s to pursue research on Haydn. He did much to popularize the composer. 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.

— The

Daily Courier, Forest City, NC, Thursday, November 26, 2009

Calendar/Local

Meetings/other DAR meeting: Griffith Rutherford NSDAR Chapter Meeting; Wednesday, Dec. 2, 3 p.m., at the home of Catherine Washburn, 2401 Bostic Sunshine Hwy., Bostic; program by Caroline and Kristi King.

Pam Whiteside (right) shown with her niece, Alicia D.Moss, (second from right) formerly of Rutherfordton, sister Ann Twitty and Clara Gray in New York City earlier this month, will appear on the Dr. Oz show Wednesday, Dec. 2, on ABC.

Shag Club: Rutherford County Shag Club meets Friday, Dec. 4, at Club LA in Spindale. Dance starts at 8 p.m. All interested shaggers are welcome. For information call 287-9228.

Holidays Free Thanksgiving meal: “Welcome Love Feast”; Thursday, Nov. 26, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., New Forest Chapel CME Church, 137 Chapel St., Forest City; free Thanksgiving meal; Rosa Landrum, pastor. Free community dinner: Thursday, Nov. 26, 9 a.m. until noon; Thomas Jefferson Classical Grammar School, 421 Hardin Rd., Forest City; free hot meal, canned goods and clothing for anyone in need; for more information call (864) 461-7178. “Lanterns of Light”: A Christmas house tour in the Ellenboro community; Saturday, Nov. 29, from 5 to 8 p.m., begins at Walls Baptist Church; after a brief visit and refreshments, visitors will begin the tour of other homes. Most of the homes are located on Walls Church Road; tickets $5; all proceeds for the soup kitchen. Concert of holiday music: The Rutherford County Historical Society will host a concert of holiday music performed by the Rutherford County Heritage Singers, on Tuesday, Dec. 1, at First Baptist Church, Rutherfordton. Music begins at 7 p.m. The community choir will be directed by Lesley Bush, accompanied by Bob Bridges. A tree lighting at St. John’s Historic Church, Main Street, Rutherfordton, will follow the concert. 3rd Annual Christmas Home Tour: Saturday, Dec. 5, 2 to 8 p.m.; van departs at 2 p.m., and 5 p.m., from Long Branch Road Baptist Church; tour directions also available for anyone who wants to provide their own transportation; tickets $5 per person; proceeds for a new fellowship hall; call 248-9555 or 287-1408 for more information. Christmas Boutique: Through Dec. 24, at the Visual Arts Center, 173 N. Main St., Rutherfordton; hours 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday; handmade art and fine craft items on display and available for purchase; paintings in all mediums, ceramics, wood crafts, sculpture, fused and stained glass and much more. Toys for Tots drop off: Bennett Classics Auto Museum in Forest City is a designated Toys for Tots drop off. Bring a new unwrapped toy and receive $2 off admission into the museum. For more information call 247-1767 or visit www. bennettclassics.com. Ellenboro Christmas Parade: Sunday, Dec. 6, 3 p.m., all participants invited to enter; contact Sandra Weeks at 453-8932, or town hall, 453-8611; World War II veterans will be the grand marshals.

Christmas House Walk:

Monday, Dec. 7, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., sponsored by the women of Fairfield Mountains Chapel; tickets are $10 per person, and $15 if you plan to attend lunch (12:30 p.m.) afterwards at Lake View Restaurant; contact Anne Gundel at 625-9400 for more information. Includes the homes of Angelo & Pat Grillo, 224 Cardinal Road; Edward & Kathy Higbee, 172 Summer Morning Court; Woody & Linda Turner, 211 Hawks Nest Trail; Chris & Carol Wolfe, 185 Treetops Lane.

Contributed photo

Show Continued from Page 1

Pam’s sister, Ann Twitty, who lives in New Jersey, was also tested and unknown to her, she was tested a diabetic. Pam said her glucose was 163 when it was checked that afternoon. After the screening on the street, results, Pam and Ann were asked to join Dr. Oz the next day for a filming of his show and to participate in a 12-week diabetes education program. The show actually airs Wednesday, Dec. 2, on ABC. Moss, formerly of Rutherfordton, said she joined her aunts and friends in New York City to be in the studio audience for “The View.” Although they received tickets for “The View” more than a year ago, it was overbooked and the women didn’t get to see the show. However, they’ve been invited back next year. “While on our way to Times Square, we saw Dr. Oz and Bob Greene,” Alicia said. “They invited us to be on

Character Continued from Page 1

Thurman began by talking with students about celebrities they idolize, and how all it took to fall from favor was bad judgement. “Any of you ever heard of Chris Brown?” Thurman said. “He went from having a great career to the bottom, all because he made a bad decision. “Your talent can get you to a position, but only your character can keep you there.” Thurman also spoke of Olympian

the show the next day,” Alicia said. Pam and her sister and a gentleman from Maine are participating in the 12-week diabetes awareness project with Dr. Oz and Dr. Mike Roizen. Roizen calls or e-mails Pam every day to check on her blood sugar and her progress. After the 12 weeks are over, Pam, her sister Ann and the gentleman return to New York for another appearance on Dr. Oz to tell the viewing audience of their progress. ‘“This is very exciting,” Pam said. “ But just letting the world know what you weigh, all I could think of was my husband is going to know my weight,” she said. The participants were weighed on the show and the scales are very large to everyone can see, she explained. Pam recently lost 30 pounds and has been walking daily. She has been trying to get her glucose under control without having to take medication. “I told my doctor I’d go on medication kicking and screaming,” she said. “No, really, if I have to go on medica-

tion I will, but I hope I don’t have to,” she said. To help Pam, Ann and the gentleman with their exercises during the 12-week study, Dr. Oz presented them a pedometer to count their steps. They are supposed to walk at least 10,000 steps each day. Dr. Oz and Bob Greene presented the panelists books also to assist them. “It’s all about awareness. It’s good to be on the show, but if you are helping just one other person, it’s worth it,” she said.

Michael Phelps, who was banned from competition for three months after pictures of him smoking marijuana surfaced. “He did something that was popular, but that wasn’t right,” he said. Thurman said that for a time he believed what others said about him – that he’d never play football, for example. “Those same people who told me I’d never play football had to watch as I became an all-conference player,” he said. “Those same people had to watch as I became the Beta Club National Vice President. “In life, you’re going to have obstacles. To be successful you have to

believe in yourself and do not let others dictate to you what you can and can’t do.” Thurman asked students what their obstacles were. Students replied peer pressure and family issues.

By JEAN GORDON Daily Courier Staff Writer

FOREST CITY — Leftovers needed. Pumpkins, squash, apple peeling, fall decorations, says Cathy Watson owner of Thera-Pets, Bostic. With 22 rescue pigs, at Potbelly Acres, and nearly 50 other rescue animals, Watson is requesting fall pumpkins, dry straw bales and squash to help feed the animals she has rescued, especially the pigs.

The Swansons will be in concert Sunday, Nov. 29, at Trinity Weselyan Church, 291 Harmon St., Forest City. Music begins at 6 p.m. Kyle Matthews of Greenville, S.C., will be in concert Sunday, Nov. 29, at Crestview Baptist Church, Forest City. The program begins at 6 p.m. Kyle presents a unique blend of musical and storytelling talents. Singing: Sunday, Nov. 29, 6 p.m., Fork Creek Baptist Church; featuring the Golden Valley Crusaders.

Thurman closed by telling students this: “If you love yourself, you will go on a journey you can never imagine. Nobody else can love you if you don’t love yourself. And a real man has discipline and makes decisions based, not on popularity, but what is right.” Contact Flynn via e-mail at aflynn@thedigitalcourier.com.

Watson and her volunteers will come and pick up the pumpkins if folks will call her at 289-1020. She said a lot of people have had dozens of pumpkins outside their businesses for the fall season and she’ll come for them if she is called. “Whatever was used for fall decorations we can use,” she said. “Apple peels and various odds and ends from there. We are just looking for some way to feed these pigs.” Watson said her feed bill and her vet bill for the

animals each month is about $1,000. Watson said there are about 70 animals at her farm, most of them rescues. The rescue pigs came from a “piggy mill,” Watson said and will live their lives out at the farm. Three high school seniors have helped recently, doing their senior projects on the animal rescue and her farm. For more information, call Watson at 289-1020 or visit her Web site: www.thera-pets.net

About us...

Poor man’s supper: Saturday, Dec. 5, 4 to 6 p.m., New Hope United Methodist, Lee Cudd Road, Rutherfordton; proceeds for Heather Blackwell’s mission trip to Japan.

Music/concerts

Contact Gordon via e-mail at jgordon@thedigitalcourier.com.

Rescue shelter will take those pumpkins

Fundraisers

Yard sale: Dec. 10 and 11, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., National Guard Armory, 890 Withrow Road; furniture, clothes, knick knacks, and much more; sponsored by DAV Chapter 25; proceeds for local veterans aid.

Pam is a former employee at National Textiles and is attending classes at Isothermal Community College. She and husband, Mark, live in Rutherfordton. They have two grown children, Brent, a college student and their daughter, Stacie, who received her master’s degree in health care. Pam also has a stepson, Aki Miller, a plumber.

Circulation

Sally Glover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208 Virle Martin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208

Business office

Administration

James R. Brown/publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . .209 Steven E. Parham/executive editor . . . . . .210 Lori Spurling/ advertising director . . . . . . .224 Pam Dixon/ ad production coordinator . . . 231 Anthony Rollins/ circulation director . . . . .206

Newsroom

Scott Bowers, sports editor . . . . . . . . . . . . .213 Jean Gordon, features editor . . . . . . . . . . . . 211 Abbe Byers, lifestyles editor . . . . . . . . . . . . .215 Allison Flynn, editor/reporter . . . . . . . . . . . .218 Garrett Byers, photography . . . . . . . . . . . . .212 Scott Baughman, reporter . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216 Larry Dale, reporter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .217 Bobbie Greene, typesetting . . . . . . . . . . . . .220 Virginia Rucker, contributing editor

Phone: 245-6431

Jessica Higgins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202 Cindy White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200

Advertising

Chrissy Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226 Jill Hasty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .227 Jessica Hendrix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228

Classified

Erika Meyer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205

Maintenance

Gary Hardin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222 An operator will direct your call during business hours, 8 a .m . to 5 p .m ., Monday-Friday . After business hours, you can reach the person you are calling using this list . As soon as you hear the automated attendant, use your Touch Tone phone to dial 1 and the person’s extension or dial 3 for dial by name .

Fax: 248-2790

Missed your paper? If you did not receive your paper today please call 245-6431 and ask for circulation. If you call by 9 a.m. on Monday through Friday, a paper will be brought to your home. If you call after 9 a.m., we will make sure your carrier brings you the missed paper in the morning with that day’s edition. If you do not receive your paper on either Saturday or Sunday and call by 8 a.m., a customer service representative will bring you a paper. If you call after 8 a.m. on Saturday or Sunday, the missed paper will be brought out on Monday morning. Our carriers are instructed to deliver your paper by 6 a.m. Tuesday through Friday, by 6:30 a.m. on Saturday and 7 a.m. on Sunday. Remember, call 245-6431 for circulation customer service.

www.thedigitalcourier.com

E-mail: dailycourier@thedigitalcourier .com

The Daily Courier, Forest City, NC, Thursday, November 26, 2009 — 7

Inside Scoreboard . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8 Classified . . . . . . . . Page 13-14 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 12

Last Man Standing Champion boxer survived where friends went astray

Panthers place LB Johnson on IR with knee injury CHARLOTTE (AP) — The Carolina Panthers have lost another linebacker to a seasonending knee injury. The Panthers placed Landon Johnson on injured reserve Tuesday and signed linebacker Jordan Senn. Johnson hurt his medial collateral ligament in Thursday’s loss to Miami in his second start at weakside linebacker after Thomas Davis was lost for the season. Johnson’s injury leaves James Anderson as the likely starter Sunday at the New York Jets. Senn adds depth at linebacker but also provides a needed body on special teams. He played with Indianapolis as an undrafted rookie in 2008 and was released before the start of this season. Senn was later re-signed and played in two games before being released again. Johnson had 12 tackles in the past two games.

By NANCY ARMOUR AP National Writer

Chairs of NFL concussion panel resign NEW YORK (AP) — Commissioner Roger Goodell has sent a wide-ranging memo about concussions to NFL teams, saying the co-chairmen of the league’s committee on head injuries have resigned. A copy of Tuesday’s memo was obtained by The Associated Press. Goodell writes that Dr. Ira Casson and Dr. David Viano no longer will lead the NFL’s committee on concussions. Casson has come under attack recently from the NFL Players Association and members of Congress for criticizing independent and league-sponsored studies linking NFL careers with heightened risk for dementia and cognitive decline. Goodell also says he met Monday with competition committee co-chair Rich McKay to discuss potential rules changes “to reduce head impacts and related injuries in a game setting.” Goodell publicly has been increasing his focus on concussions as the issue has drawn more attention this season, including at a congressional hearing in October. Casson did not appear on Capitol Hill that day.

On TV 12 p.m. (ESPN2) College Basketball Old Spice Classic Quarterfinal — Creighton vs. Michigan. 12:30 p.m. (WHNS) NFL Football Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions. 2:30 p.m. (ESPN2) College Basketball Old Spice Classic Quarterfinal — Marquette vs. Xavier. 4 p.m. (WBTV) (WSPA) NFL Football Oakland Raiders at Dallas Cowboys. 4:30 p.m. (ESPN2) College Basketball 76 Classic Quarterfinal — Clemson vs. Texas A&M. 6:30 p.m. (ESPN2) College Basketball Old Spice Classic Quarterfinal — Alabama vs. Baylor. 8 p.m. (ESPN) College Football Texas at Texas A&M. 8 p.m. (TNT) NBA Basketball Orlando Magic at Atlanta Hawks. 8:30 p.m. (ESPN2) College Basketball 76 Classic Quarterfinal — Butler vs. Minnesota. 10:30 p.m. (TNT) NBA Basketball Chicago Bulls at Utah Jazz. 11 p.m. (ESPN2) College Basketball 76 Classic Quarterfinal — Portland vs. UCLA.

Associated Press

Devon Alexander poses for a portrait at the Marquette Recreation Center where he works out Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009, in St. Louis.

ST. LOUIS — Devon Alexander was 7 when his mom gave in and let him join the new boxing program in his downtrodden neighborhood. He came home the first day crying, his nose bloodied from a sparring session with his friend Terrance Barker. Fifteen years later, Alexander is the WBC 140-pound world champion. And Barker, like so many of Alexander’s childhood friends, is dead. Of the 30 young boys who joined Alexander day after day at that gym in the basement of the old police station, at least eight are gone forever. Another 10 are in prison or have spent time behind bars — including Alexander’s own brother. The beauty of sports is in its power to inspire, with life-changing tales of triumph over adversity. Boxing didn’t simply alter Alexander’s life, though. It might very well have saved it. “I think about that every day, why did God choose me? Why am I it?” Alexander said, standing a stone’s throw from a makeshift memorial to one of his old pals. “Most of the people that grow up in the ’hood don’t believe they can make it. They just think that’s all there is to life. “And I’m a living witness that that’s not true.” Hyde Park in North St. Louis is the type of place that fosters despair, not dreams. Hundreds of once-proud rowhouses have been abandoned, the boards that cover their doors and windows an admission that no one will be calling them home anytime soon. Vacant lots abound and Please see Boxer, Page 9

Gardner-Webb has 11 named to All-Big South football team From staff reports

BOILING SPRINGS — Gardner-Webb placed 11 men on the 2009 All-Big South Conference football team Tuesday, paced by Scholar-Athlete of the Year Mario Brown and Freshman of the Year Matt Goods. The Runnin’ Bulldogs (6-5, 3-3 Big South) ranked second among the six league schools with their number of selections. Brown (Greenville, S.C. / J.L. Mann HS) finished the season with 84 total tackles (45 solo), 7.0 tackles for loss, an interception, 14 quarterback pressures and five pass break ups in a solid final campaign with the ‘Dogs. The 6-foot-2, 240-pounder finished his career with 312 total hits and carries a 3.61 cumulative GPA in his major of political science. Brown, who plans on attending law school upon graduation from Gardner-Webb, was named ESPN the Magazine Academic AllDistrict III earlier this fall, and was named first-team All-Big South at linebacker for the third time in his career in 2009. Goods (East Orange, N.J. / Milford Academy) was a major force for the Runnin’ Bulldogs up front in his first season, leading the league in tackles for a defensive lineman among freshmen with 40 hits, despite playing in a deep rotation as a reserve in all 11 games. The 6-foot-2, 285-pound standout registered 10.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks and seven quarterback pressures on the season, and was named Big South Conference Freshman of the Week three times. Goods had his best game in a win at VMI, recording six hits and forcing a fumble near midfield in the fourth quarter that led to GWU’s game-winning score. He had a blocked extra point early in the action at Buffalo. Goods was also named first-team All-Big South at defensive tackle. Gardner-Webb placed three players on the first-team offense, led by quarterback Stan Doolittle (Ninety Six, S.C. / Ninety Six HS), receiver James Perry III (Greensboro, N.C. / Dudley HS) and guard Corey O’Daniel (Louisville, Ky. / St. Xavier HS). Doolittle became the first GWU quarterback to earn first-team All-Conference honors since Nick Roberts in 2003. Gardner-Webb posted its first winning season since 2006, and finished at .500 or better in the league for the seventh time in eight seasons. Six of the team’s 11 AllConference players return for next season.

Associated Press

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin gestures to his defense during the fourth quarter of an 18-12 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, in this Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009, file photo.

Not-so-special Steelers scrambling for playoffs ALAN ROBINSON AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH — The coach is edgy and unhappy. The quarterback is dealing with another concussion, his fourth since 2006. The defense isn’t the same with two of its best players injured and out. Every kickoff is creating anxiety. Every game is becoming an adventure. Has it really been only 10 months since the Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl? The Steelers won’t say so, but they expected to be cruising toward the playoffs by now, with all but two starters back from an

experienced, proven team that won its second Super Bowl in four seasons. Their schedule is much softer than last season’s, with no Colts, Patriots, Cowboys, Giants or Eagles to be found and a healthy mix of Lions, Browns and Raiders. Instead, they’re 6-4 and locked in an unanticipated struggle merely to make the playoffs. Injuries, special teams breakdowns, the surprising Bengals and a postSuper Bowl letdown appear to be conspiring to torment a team that looked to be championship-ready only a few weeks ago.

Please see Steelers, Page 8

— The

Daily Courier, Forest City, NC, Thursday, November 26, 2009

sports

Scoreboard FOOTBALL National Football League AMERICAN CONFERENCE East W L T Pct PF New England 7 3 0 .700 290 Miami 5 5 0 .500 242 N.Y. Jets 4 6 0 .400 213 Buffalo 3 7 0 .300 155 South W L T Pct PF Indianapolis 10 0 0 1.000 269 Jacksonville 6 4 0 .600 199 Houston 5 5 0 .500 232 Tennessee 4 6 0 .400 209 North W L T Pct PF Cincinnati 7 3 0 .700 215 Pittsburgh 6 4 0 .600 231 Baltimore 5 5 0 .500 237 Cleveland 1 9 0 .100 115 West W L T Pct PF San Diego 7 3 0 .700 269 Denver 6 4 0 .600 170 Kansas City 3 7 0 .300 169 Oakland 3 7 0 .300 108

Associated Press

In this photo taken on Sunday, Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford runs off the field after beating the Cleveland Browns 38-37 in an NFL football game Browns in Detroit.

Stafford shows mettle, but may miss game today

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Matthew Stafford sat at his locker, answering and dodging questions about his sore shoulder. The Detroit Lions quarterback then took off his jersey and displayed a sense of humor. “Look at that,” Stafford joked. He will have to do more than raise his dislocated left shoulder and throwing arm to get clearance for the Thanksgiving Today’s NFL games Day game against the Green Bay at Detroit, 12:30 Green Bay Packers. Oakland at Dallas, 4:15 “It’s unlikely that N.Y. Giants at Denver, 8:20 he’s going to play, but we’ll see,” Detroit coach Jim Schwartz said. “It’s a deal if it gets better in a couple of days and it’s not as painful, he’ll be able to get out there.” The No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, the guy who set an NFL record on Sunday in a thrilling 38-37 win over Cleveland, had to sit and watch his teammates go through their only full practice of the week on Tuesday. So did standout receiver Calvin Johnson, who has hand and knee injuries. Even if Stafford isn’t on the field, he has given long-suffering fans a reason to have hope the future will be better. Previous first-round picks Joey Harrington, Andre Ware and Chuck Long failed to deliver. The 21-year-old Stafford set an NFL rookie passing record with 422 yards passing against the Browns on Sunday and became the youngest player to throw five TDs in a game. The fifth TD came with no time on the clock, after Stafford went to the sideline and was flat on his back getting his shoulder evaluated. He came back out for the game-winning throw with his right arm after his left shoulder was slammed to the turf on the previous play. That Stafford went back on the field won praise from teammates and opponents while generating a positive buzz the Lions haven’t had since they were 6-2 in the 2007 season. Stafford’s feats earned him NFC offensive player of the week honors. Stafford led the Lions’ biggest comeback in a game since 1957 when Bobby Layne helped them rally from a 24-point deficit against the Colts. Stafford and Layne both attended Highland Park High School in Texas. As much as Schwartz has been encouraged by Stafford’s talent and moxie, he is not ready to say his gutsy play at the end of Cleveland game put him on another level. “Let’s let him play more than one year before we start talking about that,” Schwartz said. It did, though, impress a peer. “I think it showed a lot of heart, a lot of toughness,” Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. Stafford’s jersey from Sunday was sent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And the play might live on in league lore for years because Stafford was wired for sound by NFL Films during the game, making him one of 350-plus players who have done that since 1965. NFL Films president Steve Sabol called it the “most dramatic player wiring ever.” As for Stafford, he’s just hoping to get over the soreness and back on the field. “It’s getting better,” Stafford said of his shoulder. “It’s moving in the right direction.” Maybe the Lions are, too.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE East W L T Pct PF Dallas 7 3 0 .700 231 Philadelphia 6 4 0 .600 266 N.Y. Giants 6 4 0 .600 266 Washington 3 7 0 .300 146 South W L T Pct PF New Orleans 10 0 0 1.000 369 Atlanta 5 5 0 .500 252 Carolina 4 6 0 .400 193 Tampa Bay 1 9 0 .100 164 North W L T Pct PF Minnesota 9 1 0 .900 306 Green Bay 6 4 0 .600 262 Chicago 4 6 0 .400 206 Detroit 2 8 0 .200 181 West W L T Pct PF Arizona 7 3 0 .700 250 San Francisco 4 6 0 .400 208 Seattle 3 7 0 .300 196 St. Louis 1 9 0 .100 113

PA 164 244 189 228 PA 157 235 208 272 PA 167 184 171 263 PA 205 183 239 234 PA 175 204 235 178 PA 204 228 239 294 PA 193 203 225 301 PA 197 210 233 270

Thursday, Nov. 26 Green Bay at Detroit, 12:30 p.m. Oakland at Dallas, 4:15 p.m. N.Y. Giants at Denver, 8:20 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 29 Miami at Buffalo, 1 p.m. Carolina at N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m. Seattle at St. Louis, 1 p.m. Tampa Bay at Atlanta, 1 p.m. Indianapolis at Houston, 1 p.m. Cleveland at Cincinnati, 1 p.m. Washington at Philadelphia, 1 p.m. Kansas City at San Diego, 4:05 p.m. Jacksonville at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m. Arizona at Tennessee, 4:15 p.m. Chicago at Minnesota, 4:15 p.m. Pittsburgh at Baltimore, 8:20 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30 New England at New Orleans, 8:30 p.m.

Wyche to the practice squad. MIAMI DOLPHINS—Released LB Matt Roth. Signed CB Evan Oglesby and DE Ikeaika AlmaFrancis. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES—Signed OT Winston Justice to a four-year contract extension. PITTSBURGH STEELERS—Signed LB Rocky Boiman and CB Corey Ivy. Released LB Donovan Woods and CB Keiwan Ratliff. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS—Placed RT Jeromey Clary on injured reserve. Signed OT Jon Runyan. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS—Placed QB Byron Leftwich on injured reserve. Signed QB Rudy Carpenter from the Dallas practice squad. Released CB Mike Mickens. Signed WR Terrence Nunn from the New England practice squad.

GA 62 50 58 69 82 GA 73 63 61 71 83

WESTERN CONFERENCE Central Division GP W L OT Pts GF Chicago 22 15 5 2 32 70 Nashville 22 13 8 1 27 53 Columbus 23 12 8 3 27 72 Detroit 22 11 7 4 26 68 St. Louis 21 8 9 4 20 50 Northwest Division GP W L OT Pts GF Colorado 24 14 7 3 31 74 Calgary 22 13 6 3 29 69 Vancouver 23 12 11 0 24 67 Edmonton 24 10 11 3 23 72 Minnesota 22 8 12 2 18 54 Pacific Division GP W L OT Pts GF San Jose 25 16 5 4 36 85 Los Angeles 24 13 9 2 28 73 Dallas 23 11 6 6 28 70 Phoenix 24 13 10 1 27 59 Anaheim 22 8 11 3 19 63

GA 49 57 84 64 54

HOCKEY National Hockey League NHL—Suspended Philadelphia F Daniel Briere for two games as a result of a late hit on an unsuspecting opponent, Avalanche D Scott Hannan, during a Nov. 23 game at Colorado.

GA 71 62 60 75 68

COLLEGE WINGATE—Announced that it will add men’s and women’s track and field in 2011.

BASKETBALL

GA 62 75 65 59 75

National Basketball Association

BASEBALL American League KANSAS CITY ROYALS—Agreed to terms with RHP Bryan Bullington on a minor league contract. National League ATLANTA BRAVES—Agreed to terms with RHP Juan Abreu on a one-year contract. NEW YORK METS—Named Dave Jauss bench coach and Chip Hale third base coach and moved Razor Shines to first base coach. Named Jack Voight hitting coach for Buffalo (IL). Named Terry Collins Minor League Field Coordinator.

S. Carolina St. (10-1) at Appalachian St. (9-2) Holy Cross (9-2) at Villanova (10-1) Elon (9-2) at Richmond (10-1) Weber St. (7-4) at William & Mary (9-2) E. Illinois (8-3) at S. Illinois (10-1) S. Dakota St. (8-3) at Montana (11-0) New Hampshire (9-2) at McNeese St. (9-2) E. Washington (8-3) at Stephen F. Austin (9-2)

HOCKEY National Hockey League GA 68 48 59 65 74

Steelers Continued from Page 7

The Steelers still can salvage a season in which they’ve lost two in a row, including an inexplicable 27-24 overtime loss in Kansas City on Sunday. But they’re running out of time — and, with key starters such as Troy Polamalu, Aaron Smith and Chris Kemoeatu injured and out, they’re running out of players. “If we address our ills and really don’t blink in the face of adversity and let that guide our energy and decision making, continue to do the things well that we’re doing well, we should be fine and should be able to correct those issues,” coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday. “In the short term? Uncomfortable? Absolutely.” Edgy, too, a word Tomlin used several times during a news conference that lasted nearly twice as long as usual. And for good reason. The Steelers have won 10 games or more six times since 2001, so they’re hardly ready to give up on their season. AFC North leader Cincinnati (7-3)

EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division W L Pct 10 4 .714 7 8 .467 5 9 .357 3 11 .214 0 14 .000 Southeast Division W L Pct Atlanta 11 3 .786 Orlando 11 3 .786 Miami 8 5 .615 Charlotte 4 9 .308 Washington 4 9 .308 Central Division W L Pct Cleveland 10 4 .714 Milwaukee 8 4 .667 Chicago 6 7 .462 Indiana 5 7 .417 Detroit 5 9 .357 WESTERN CONFERENCE Southwest Division W L Pct Dallas 10 4 .714 Houston 8 6 .571 San Antonio 6 6 .500 New Orleans 6 9 .400 Memphis 5 9 .357 Northwest Division W L Pct Denver 10 4 .714 Portland 11 5 .688 Oklahoma City 8 7 .533 Utah 7 7 .500 Minnesota 1 13 .071 Pacific Division W L Pct L.A. Lakers 11 3 .786 Phoenix 11 3 .786 L.A. Clippers 6 9 .400 Golden State 5 8 .385 Sacramento 5 8 .385 Boston Toronto Philadelphia New York New Jersey

Tuesday’s Games Montreal 5, Columbus 3 Wednesday’s Games Toronto at Tampa Bay, late. Philadelphia at N.Y. Islanders, late Ottawa at New Jersey, late Buffalo at Washington, late N.Y. Rangers at Florida, late Montreal at Pittsburgh, late Atlanta at Detroit, late. St. Louis at Dallas, late Boston at Minnesota, late Nashville at Colorado, late Los Angeles at Edmonton, late Phoenix at Calgary, late Carolina at Anaheim, late Chicago at San Jose, late Thursday’s Games Columbus at Ottawa, 7:30 p.m. Los Angeles at Vancouver, 10 p.m.

TRANSACTIONS

College Football NCAA FCS PLAYOFFS First Round

EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division GP W L OT Pts GF Pittsburgh 24 16 8 0 32 74 New Jersey 21 14 6 1 29 58 Philadelphia 21 12 8 1 25 73 N.Y. Rangers 23 12 10 1 25 72 N.Y. Islanders 24 9 8 7 25 67

Northeast Division GP W L OT Pts GF 21 12 6 3 27 66 20 12 6 2 26 54 23 11 8 4 26 57 24 12 11 1 25 62 22 4 11 7 15 57 Southeast Division GP W L OT Pts GF Washington 24 13 5 6 32 85 Tampa Bay 21 9 5 7 25 56 Atlanta 20 10 7 3 23 71 Florida 22 10 9 3 23 62 Carolina 23 5 13 5 15 53 Ottawa Buffalo Boston Montreal Toronto

BASKETBALL National Basketball Association OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER—Recalled G Kyle Weaver from Tulsa (NBADL). FOOTBALL National Football League ARIZONA CARDINALS—Re-signed LB Monty Beisel. Released TE Dominique Byrd. Re-signed DE Jason Banks and LB Pago Togafau to the practice squad. Released FB Jed Collins and DT Antoine Holmes. BUFFALO BILLS—Signed G Kendall Simmons. Placed G Eric Wood on injured reserve. CAROLINA PANTHERS—Placed LB Landon Johnson on injured reserve. Signed LB Jordan Senn. CINCINNATI BENGALS—Re-signed DT Orien Harris. Signed CB Antonio Smith to the practice squad. Waived G Scott Kooistra. CLEVELAND BROWNS—Waived LB Josh Stamer. GREEN BAY PACKERS—Signed CB Josh Bell. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS—Re-signed DE Josh Thomas. Waived RB Mike Hart. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS—Waived LB Adam Seward. Signed LB Lamar Myles and DE James

showed its vulnerability by losing at Oakland, and only one of Pittsburgh’s remaining opponents has a winning record. However, the Steelers are going into Sunday’s game at Baltimore (5-5) with yet another big worry, franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s latest concussion. He has been their best player all season, and they shudder to think what might happen if he goes down, especially with backup Charlie Batch out with a broken left wrist. Four years ago, the Steelers were 7-5 and looked to be in worse shape than they are now, yet they rallied to win eight consecutive games and the Super Bowl. But while that team was confident and combative, this one appears confused and uncertain. The four kickoff return touchdowns they’ve allowed in five games are undermining everyone’s confidence. The coaches wonder why the special teams players lack the pride and commitment to not allow such breakdowns; the players wonder why the coaches can’t correct it. There’s also starting to be finger-pointing, something the

GB — 3 1/2 5 7 10 GB — — 2 1/2 6 1/2 6 1/2 GB — 1 3 1/2 4 5 GB — 2 3 4 1/2 5 GB — — 2 1/2 3 9 GB — — 5 1/2 5 1/2 5 1/2

Tuesday’s Games Toronto 123, Indiana 112 Washington 108, Philadelphia 107 Golden State 111, Dallas 103 Oklahoma City 104, Utah 94 Denver 101, New Jersey 87 L.A. Lakers 100, New York 90 Wednesday’s Games L.A. Clippers at Indiana, late Toronto at Charlotte, late. Miami at Orlando, late Philadelphia at Boston, late. Cleveland at Detroit, late Denver at Minnesota, late Milwaukee at New Orleans, late Golden State at San Antonio, late Dallas at Houston, late Memphis at Phoenix, late New Jersey at Portland, late New York at Sacramento, late Thursday’s Games Orlando at Atlanta, 8 p.m. Chicago at Utah, 10:30 p.m.

Steelers almost never do — and, as right tackle Willie Colon said, something they can’t do. Players on both sides of the ball are unhappy with some playcalling, especially a third-down toss sweep by backup running back Mewelde Moore that lost 3 yards and ended the Steelers’ only overtime possession in Kansas City. “I’d do it again,” Tomlin said. He might be the only person in Pittsburgh who would. Some players want to run the ball more; some want to blitz more. Other players are raising questions about team unity. Tomlin personally accepted the blame for the Chiefs loss, saying it’s on him to have his team better prepared. “The difference between winning and losing is so little you’ve got to be on top of your game (every week),” running back Rashard Mendenhall said. While the Steelers are No. 1 defensively, just as they were the last two seasons, they’re clearly not the same without Polamalu, one of the NFL’s best players. He’s missed five full games and all but a few plays of a sixth with two left knee injuries, and the Steelers lost four of them.

Have your extinguishers checked annually

The Gift of Golf For Christmas Authorized Agent Cooper Flack 828-245-6467

Buy 5 - 18 hole, weekday rounds for $100 Each round includes green fee & cart

Extinguishers, Exit Lights, Emergency Lights, Safety Supplies Service and Sales Part 46 Miner trained by NC. Dept. of Labor Mine & Quarry Bureau

Call for our Affordable Prices Wayne Lail 704-473-3154 Locally Owned and Operated

The Daily Courier, Forest City, NC, Thursday, November 26, 2009 — 9

sports

Devon Alexander hits a punching bag as he works out at the Marquette Recreation Center Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009, in St. Louis. Alexander, a north St. Louis native, won the WBC welterweight title in August. He started boxing with 30 other kids when he was in grade school. Of those 30, at least eight are dead and another 10 are in prison or have spent time behind bars. Associated Press

Boxer Continued from Page 7

businesses are few and far between. Money is scarce, opportunities even more so. Alexander recognized early on that he was starting with a disadvantage. He remembers seeing people taking and selling drugs before he was old enough to comprehend what that meant. He remembers noticing the sudden absence of older people in the neighborhood and realizing they’d been locked up — or worse. He remembers hearing gunfire, and his mom’s command to “hit the deck.” “I remember me standing by our complex one time, I walked out and there was a guy laying dead right there, by the side of my house,” Alexander said. “I remember seeing that and I was like, ’Man.”’ Even home provided little sanctuary, what with 13 kids in the family, his dad working at a grocery store and his mom as a day-care provider. “It wasn’t like we wasn’t a happy family, it was just the situation we was in,” he said. “Minimum wage, 13 kids, how far can you make it with that?” And while he liked school, and was a good student, Alexander can’t tell you what he dreamed of being when he grew up. Doctor? Lawyer? Police officer? Kids in his situation couldn’t afford to think that far ahead. “We just thought this was all there was, and that’s all we can accomplish,” he said. “I didn’t really think to be anything until I got older and I was around Kevin, who was teaching me that there was much more to life than that.” Kevin is Kevin Cunningham, now his trainer. But back in the early ’90s, when the war between the Bloods and Crips was at its height, Cunningham was a St. Louis police officer. Patrolling the worst of St. Louis’ neighborhoods, Cunningham saw up close the heavy toll gangs and drugs were taking. “Pulling up to all these

homicide scenes, seeing these kids being murdered because of the color of the shirt they’re wearing, because of the color of hat they had on, it got sickening, you know?” he said. “It’s always some young teenager laying there, murdered, and it got old.” As he rode through the dirty streets, Cunningham thought of what kept him out of trouble when he was younger. He boxed and played football before going into the Army, one season leading right into the other. There was no time for temptation. So he decided to start a boxing program in Hyde Park, convincing community leaders to let him set up a gym in the basement of the old police station. He made up a flier and took it around to the local schools. Within three weeks, 30 kids were waiting for him at the gym each afternoon. Few had ever seen a boxing glove before, but it hardly mattered. “Most of them came from a horrible background,” Cunningham said. “My thing was trying to instill some discipline in these kids where they could go finish high school, maybe some kids would go to college, trade school or something, to where, at the end of the day, you’re going to be a productive citizen. “That was the goal. That was the mission of this whole thing.” Alexander showed a knack for boxing early, but he wasn’t the most naturally gifted of the group. Barker, for one, was better when they started. So, too, was Willie Ross, who won a Silver Gloves title alongside Alexander in what was Alexander’s first national tournament. Like Barker, Ross is now dead, killed in a September 2008 shooting around the corner from the old gym. He was three months shy of his 23rd birthday. “They were like brothers to me,” Alexander said. “I hate to see such brutal things happen to them, such harsh things happen to them.” In one case, it was his own brother in trouble.

Vaughn, 14 months older than Devon, was a promising boxer himself, 5-0 as a professional, fighting in Las Vegas and Madison Square Garden on undercards of big names like Spinks, Klitschko and Trinidad. Now he’s serving an 18-year sentence for, among other things, robbery, attempted robbery and assault of a law enforcement officer. How, he wonders, did he go so far astray? “My mother always told us to be our own leader, not follow what everybody else was doing. He did exactly what my mother told him to do,” Vaughn said, speaking from the Potosi Correctional Center, about 75 miles south of St. Louis. “Me, I did that, too, but I just guess I took a wrong turn somewhere and now I’m paying for it. “He just stayed on that path to potential greatness.” The two boys once won Junior Olympic titles almost simultaneously, fighting in rings set up next to each other. They talked often about how far boxing could carry them, how it could change not only their lives, but those of everyone in their family. But like so many other kids in the neighborhood, Vaughn fell in with a bad crowd: people who spent their nights in clubs, people who got mixed up with drugs and alcohol, people who stole cars, people who were in gangs. “Devon got it the first time,” Vaughn Alexander said. “He never took his eyes off that prize. He never took no wrong turns. He didn’t want to make no fast money. He didn’t want to do those things to jeopardize that No. 1 goal.” Added Cunningham, “If trouble is over there, Devon is going the other way. That’s just who he is.” In fact, the few times Alexander did take his brother up on the invitation to go out to a club, he found himself wondering why he was wasting his time there when he could have been training. “Without dedication, you can’t make it in boxing. Trust me,” Alexander said. “That’s what the guys that I started with didn’t have, the dedica-

tion.” Boxing is primal and brutal, not a sport one simply “does” like basketball or tennis. A boxer willingly absorbs dozens of blows each fight, to say nothing of the hundreds of hours of sparring and intense cardiovascular training it takes to get ready for a bout. It takes a discipline and commitment few people have, and those who are serious are quickly separated from those who aren’t. For Alexander, it was never a choice. He loved boxing from the first day Cunningham put the gloves on him, grinning and laughing when he heard that drumlike “pop-puh-puhpuh-pop” of leather on leather. So when the other boys cut their training runs short, ducking behind buildings and stopping as soon as Cunningham was out of sight, Alexander kept going. When everyone was urging him to “just hang out,” he kept walking. And when his friends realized the drugs that were already all around them could be an easy means to those new clothes, sneakers and cars that every teenager wants, Alexander spent even more time at the gym. “I just stuck with it,” he said. “I don’t want to sound too perfect, but I just never wanted to do anything like that. I played basketball sometimes, but either I was worrying about school or I was worrying about boxing.” He made his professional debut while he was still in high school. Nine months later, he was on the undercard when Zab Judah claimed the undisputed welterweight title from Cory Spinks, Alexander’s friend and training partner, before a sellout crowd at the Savvis Center. It was the first major bout in St. Louis in more than 40 years. Alexander wasn’t even 18 yet. “Everybody knows who my brother is,” Vaughn said, his voice filled with pride. “They always ask me questions about him. I just let them know he deserves the

position he’s in because he’s worked hard for it.” Just 5-foot-7, Alexander looks small in the ring. But the natural southpaw is extremely athletic, with excellent speed and enough power to win. He doesn’t get flustered, either. England’s Junior Witter, Alexander’s opponent in the Aug. 1 fight for the WBC junior welterweight title, is an unorthodox fighter, yet Alexander handled him easily. He dominated for most of the fight until Witter retired after the eighth round, handing Alexander the title. It was only Witter’s second loss since June 2000. The American let loose with a guttural scream after the fight and then broke down, overcome by everything he’s accomplished — and endured. “I propped my belt up on the pillow in my hotel room. I actually slept with it,” Alexander said. “When I woke up, that’s when it really hit me I was the world champion.” But memories of the neighborhood and the boys who didn’t make it out are never far away, trailing after him like ghosts. Tucked in his massive scrapbook, between photos and stories about the many triumphs of “Alexander the Great,” are programs from Ross and Barker’s funerals. There is a black-and-white photo of him and Vaughn after their Junior Olympic wins, trying so hard in that teenage way to look grown up. Posters from some of Alexander’s amateur fights still hang in the gym, and he matter-of-factly recites the whereabouts of the other fighters pictured. Ross, Barker, Ladale Evans, Johnny Hubbard — all dead. Vaughn and a few others in prison. On and on and on it goes. For all but one. “I’m the only one standing now. It saddens me to see that, but it motivates me at the same time,” Alexander said. “God said to whom much is given, much is asked. I know I’ve got to do a lot, because I’m the only one here.”

Your Hometown Honda Service HeadquarterS T-Shirts Are Back! Get A Free Honda T-Shirt With Any Service. Kerrie and Jill show off our President’s Award

6 Month Maintenance Special Oil and Filter Change with 19 point Inspection, Tire Rotation and Battery Test

Just

.95*

*Offer expires 11-30-09 Plus Tax/Supplies W/A

EXTENDED HOURS Monday, Tuesday, & Thursday 7:45 am-7pm Wednesday & Friday 7:45am-5:30pm 284 Daniel Rd., Forest City, NC

828-286-2614 • 1-877-60-HONDA

— The

Daily Courier, Forest City, NC, Thursday, November 26, 2009

weather/nation

Weather The Daily Courier Weather Today

Tonight

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Mostly Sunny

Clear

Mostly Sunny

Sunny

Few Showers

Precip Chance: 5%

Precip Chance: 0%

Precip Chance: 5%

Precip Chance: 0%

Precip Chance: 40%

61º

35º

52º 32º

59º 33º

62º 39º

57º 44º

Almanac

Local UV Index

Around Our State Today

Statistics provided by Broad River Water Authority through 7 a.m. yesterday.

0 - 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11+

Temperatures

0-2: Low, 3-5: Moderate, 6-7: High, 8-10: Very High, 11+: Extreme Exposure

High . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Sun and Moon Normal High . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Normal Low . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Sunrise today . . . . .7:13 a.m. Sunset tonight . . . . .5:16 p.m. Moonrise today . . . .1:34 p.m.

Precipitation

24 hrs through 7 a.m. yest. .0.00" Moonset today . . . . .1:19 a.m. Month to date . . . . . . . . .6.76" Year to date . . . . . . . . .50.58"

Moon Phases

Barometric Pressure High yesterday . . . . . . .30.20"

Relative Humidity

Full 12/2

High yesterday . . . . . . . . .88%

New 12/16

Last 12/8

City

Asheville . . . . . . .53/30 Cape Hatteras . . .64/50 Charlotte . . . . . . .63/35 Fayetteville . . . . .66/39 Greensboro . . . . .61/37 Greenville . . . . . .66/42 Hickory . . . . . . . . . .59/35 Jacksonville . . . .67/42 Kitty Hawk . . . . . .62/47 New Bern . . . . . .66/43 Raleigh . . . . . . . .65/38 Southern Pines . .64/38 Wilmington . . . . .67/43 Winston-Salem . .59/36

First 12/24

Friday

Hi/Lo Wx Hi/Lo Wx pc ra s s pc s s s mc s s s s pc

45/29 56/46 53/32 56/34 52/34 57/35 51/32 57/36 55/44 58/37 54/35 55/33 57/37 51/33

ra s s s s s s s s s s s s s

Weather (Wx): cl/cloudy; pc/partly cloudy; ra/rain; rs/rain & snow; s/sunny; sh/showers; sn/snow; t/thunderstorms; w/windy

Greensboro 61/37

Forest City 61/35 Charlotte 63/35

Today

Raleigh 65/38

Kinston 65/42 Wilmington 67/43

Today’s National Map

Friday

Hi/Lo Wx Hi/Lo Wx

Atlanta . . . . . . . . .57/34 Baltimore . . . . . . .57/40 Chicago . . . . . . . .43/32 Detroit . . . . . . . . .45/35 Indianapolis . . . .40/29 Los Angeles . . . .82/52 Miami . . . . . . . . . .82/59 New York . . . . . . .57/44 Philadelphia . . . .60/39 Sacramento . . . . .63/45 San Francisco . . .63/50 Seattle . . . . . . . . .51/43 Tampa . . . . . . . . .72/47 Washington, DC .58/40

s sh rs sh rs s sh ra sh s pc ra s mc

Greenville 66/42

Fayetteville 66/39

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

City

Elizabeth City 64/41

Durham 65/38

Winston-Salem 59/36

Across Our Nation

57/32 50/37 44/36 41/32 45/30 71/49 70/55 51/38 48/35 61/41 63/46 49/42 66/44 50/38

s sh s rs s s s ra sh s s ra s sh

Associated Press

Cash or credit? New kettles tested by Salvation Army By KRISTEN WYATT

North Carolina Forecast

Asheville 53/30

Matt Sims, bandmaster for the Salvation Army, talks to a donor while taking a credit card donation at the kettle he was manning at the Forest Hill Ukrop’s in Richmond, Va. The charity is testing kettles that take debit and credit cards. The growth of socalled “plastic kettles” comes as fewer shoppers carry cash.

40s

50s

60s

70s 80s

This map shows high temperatures, type of precipitation expected and location of frontal systems at noon. Cold Front

50s

60s

30s

40s

Stationary Front

Warm Front

60s

70s 80s

70s

Low Pressure

High Pressure

Carolinas Today Plane crashes near Durham, all are OK

DURHAM, N.C. — A singleengine plane has crashed in a field in central North Carolina and the two people on board managed to escape before a fire started. WRAL-TV reports the Cessna crashed Wednesday near the Chatham-Durham county line. The names of the people on the plane were not immediately available. A Chatham County Sheriff’s spokesman says firefighters worked to put out the blaze. Aerial photos on WRAL’s Web site showed a burned out nose and cockpit with part of the tail remaining.

Thousands gather for free Thanksgiving food

WILSON, N.C. (AP) — Thousands of people lined up in a North Carolina town where unemployment is above the state average in order to get free Thanksgiving meals. WTVD reports that about 3,000 people lined up in the pre-dawn cold and rain Wednesday in Wilson for handouts of turkey, ham, chicken, green beans, corn, canned collards and sweet potatoes. The Wilson Opportunities Industrialization Center says it had to turn away about 500 people

because it ran out of food. The North Carolina Employment Security Commission says nearly 12 percent of Wilson County adults were unemployed in September. In October unemployment in North Carolina hit 11 percent.

Man can’t get hot dog for $1, rams vendor CARY, N.C. (AP) — Police say a North Carolina man rammed his car into a hot dog stand when the vendor refused to sell him a hot dog and drink for a dollar. WRAL-TV reports 23-year-old David Kelbaugh of Rolesville was charged Wednesday with assault with a deadly weapon, hit-and-run, driving while intoxicated and injury to property. Police say Kelbaugh was drinking at a bar in Cary early Wednesday when he left to order food at the hot dog stand. Kelbaugh asked for a hot dog and a drink for one dollar and the vendor told him that wasn’t enough money. Police say Kelbaugh yelled at the vendor, got in his car and rammed the hot dog stand twice. The vendor was treated for back injuries. His name was not released. Kelbaugh fled and was later arrested. He’s been released on $6,000 bond. A phone number for Kelbaugh was disconnected.

The Best Local Sports Coverage

The Daily Courier

POISONING PREVENTION AT HOME A recent government study reports that every year more than 71,000 children in the United States aged 18 years and younger are treated in emergency rooms for unintentional overdoses of over-the-counter and prescription drugs. More than 80 percent of these accidental overdoses involve young children who find and ingest medications while their parents or guardians are unaware that they are doing so. Medication overdoses are most common among two-year-olds. While these findings have prompted suggestions of developing better child safety caps (which allow only a measured dose at one time), parents can (and should) do a better job of keeping these medications out of the reach and sight of children. Parents and caregivers must also work to avoid medication errors. The pharmacists and staff of SMITH’S DRUGS OF FOREST CITY, located at 139 E. Main Street, (828) 245-4591, will gladly answer any concerns you may have. Our goal is to provide our customers with the best possible products, services and value. In addition to prescription and over-the-counter medications, we carry nutritional and herbal supplements, sports products, and medical supplies. We are locally owned and operated, serving our community since 1939. The warmest Thanksgiving Day greetings from our family to yours. HINT: According to the study mentioned above, misuse of drugs by preteens and teens and medication errors made by patients/caregivers cause about 14 percent of accidental poisonings.

Associated Press Writer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — There could be less jingle in the Salvation’s Army’s hallmark red kettles this season. The charity is testing kettles that take debit and credit cards. The growth of so-called “plastic kettles” comes as fewer shoppers carry cash. Bell ringers who stand outside stores during the holiday season say that more and more shoppers are shaking their heads and smiling as they pass by, apologizing for not having spare change or cash to drop in the red kettles. Last year Salvation Army tested the credit machines in two cities, Dallas and Colorado Springs. This year the plastic kettles will be tested in more than 120 cities. In Colorado Springs, fundraising last year went up $64,000 from the year before, an 11 percent increase. About $5,000 of the increase was from donors using credit or debit cards at the kettles. “It used to be people would spend their money at the store counters, walk out and drop their change in the kettles. They don’t shop that way anymore,” said Major Don Gilger,

coordinator of the Salvation Army of El Paso County. “We all realize that people are carrying less cash than they did 10 years ago.” The kettles that take credit don’t look any different. But next to the metal red kettles are wireless card readers that resemble do-it-yourself readers at gas stations. The machines print two receipts, one for the donor and one to drop in the kettle. Salvation Army pays credit-processing fees same as any retailer. But the plastic kettles take some getting used to. In Colorado Springs, volunteer bell ringer Dave Flack wasn’t sure what to make of his first day ringing bells next to a credit machine. The 61-year-old keeps a three-ring-notebook full of Christmas carols handy to sing to shoppers outside the grocery store where he volunteers, but he needed to borrow a pen from the Salvation Army manager who showed him how to take donations using the machine. Flack said he’d be willing to give it a shot. “I’ve been doing this five years, and I hear people say they’d like to help but don’t have any cash. I don’t know if they’ll use this or not,” Flack said. “But the need is great, so whatever it takes, we’ll try it.”

Shuttle leaves station, heads back to Earth By MARCIA DUNN AP Aerospace Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Shuttle Atlantis undocked from the International Space Station early Wednesday and headed home with one astronaut eager to hold his newborn daughter for the first time and another who’s been away from her young son since the summer. Before signing off from Mission Control, flight director Mike Sarafin wished the seven crew members a happy Thanksgiving and a good landing on Friday. “We’ll do our best to stay sharp until the round things stop rolling,” replied commander Charles Hobaugh. The shuttle departed as the spacecraft soared nearly 220 miles above the Pacific, just northeast of New Guinea. Over the past week, the astronauts stockpiled the outpost and performed maintenance that should keep it running for another five to 10 years. Astronaut Nicole Stott, on her way home after three months in orbit, said goodbye to the five colleagues she left behind on the space station. “It was a real pleasure working with you guys,” she radioed. “I was blessed with a wonderful crew, and I look forward to seeing you guys on the ground real soon.” “We’ll miss you,” said fellow American astronaut Jeffrey Williams, who’s just two months into a six-month mission. A Belgian on

Attorney John Crotts

board who will be leaving the space station next week in a Russian capsule told Stott to take care. “Have a safe trip home,” Frank De Winne said. Wednesday was the 89th day in space for Stott, a 47-year-old engineer. She flew to the space station at the end of August. She said she can’t wait to see her husband and 7-yearold son, and to have a pizza. Spaceman Randolph Bresnik is also eager to get back. His wife gave birth to their second child, Abigail Mae Bresnik, on Saturday in Houston — shortly after his first spacewalk. A few hours after the undocking, the shuttle astronauts pulled out a 100-foot, laser-tipped inspection boom and conducted one final survey of the wings and nose of their ship. They needed to make sure the vulnerable thermal shielding was not damaged by micrometeorites over the past week. The astronauts interrupted the routine surveillance to look at a clogged nozzle, part of the shuttle’s waste water removal system. Only about half of the collected urine and condensation could be dumped overboard earlier in the day, and Mission Control wanted to see if ice might be blocking the nozzle. Nothing unusual was spotted. Sarafin said even if the nozzle cannot be cleared, it won’t affect the astronauts unless the landing is delayed beyond Friday. Fortunately, good landing weather is expected Friday morning.

39 Days For $39 (No CoNtraCt) offer Expires Dec 15th

www.kinglawoffices.com

(828) 286-3332

KING LAW OFFICES A PROFESSIONAL LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

Church News Every Saturday

The Daily Courier

The Daily Courier, Forest City, NC, Thursday, November 26, 2009 — 11

BUSINESS/finance

Before you buy, better to be sly By CANDICE CHOI,AP Personal Finance Writer

A line of customers waits outside the Kohl’s department store in Middletown, Ohio, last year to start their Black Friday shopping when the store opens at 4 a.m.

When Black Friday is worth it By SARAH SKIDMORE AP Retail Writer

PORTLAND, Ore. — Shopping on Black Friday can be daunting, with massive crowds, pre-dawn start times and long checkout lines. Roughly 77 million Americans are expected to head to stores Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. But whether it’s worth participating depends on who’s shopping, what they want and all the costs involved. Here’s what to keep in mind. n THE SHOPPER: This is the biggest factor. Some people love the thrill of the chase. They want to score a deal, and they like the tradition. To them, Black Friday is worth the effort no matter the hassle. “There is a visceral excitement to going to stores on Black Friday; it’s almost like a sporting event,” said Dan de Grandpre, editor in chief of online shopping and discount guide dealnews. com. Even though promotions pervade the season, the ideal Black

Friday Shopper responds to the sense of urgency and exclusivity that retailers create for that day with early openings and a limited number of items discounted, said Steven Hoch, a marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton business school. Others want nothing to do with it. n THE ITEM: Retailers count on the excitement of Black Friday to ignite holiday shopping so they use big, attention-grabbing discounts to lure shoppers. The most notable deals are usually on big-ticket purchases like televisions, computers and other electronics, de Grandpre said. There may be more discounts this year on smaller items like sweat shirts or coffee pots to cater to shoppers’ more modest ways. But the big splash is where the big savings lie. “Those are the things that get people whipped into a frenzy,” de Grandpre said. Just bear in mind that retailers tend to make their most significant cuts on lower-priced ver-

sions of products because they know they can continue to sell higher-end items the rest of the year. n THE COSTS: After you determine (ahead of time) what you should pay for the items you want (consumers are comparison-shopping more than they have in years, according to the NPD Group), then decide whether your savings will be worth your additional costs. Count the value of your time, the gas to get to the store and circle for parking, the extra snacks at the food court and any other costs you incur simply because you are shopping. Also remember the add-ons: the cable to go with the supercheap television and the impulse purchases you make while roaming the aisles when they’re out of the item you came for. One of the easiest ways to limit those added costs is to shop online. Many retailers offer the same deals online as in the stores — and sometimes they start the day before or sooner.

Jobs news helps stocks finish higher

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks climbed Wednesday following a drop in weekly unemployment claims to the lowest level of the year and a rise in new home sales. The market’s gains were modest on light trading volume ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. U.S. markets are closed for Thanksgiving and finishing early on Friday. The government said new claims for unemployment insurance fell by 35,000 last week to 466,000. That’s the fewest claims since September last year, and better than the 500,000 that economists had expected. The drop in claims suggests the job market is healing, but concern remains that the improvement will be temporary as the weak economy continues to push unemployment higher.. In other economic reports, new home sales rose 6.2 percent to an annual rate of 430,000. That’s above what economists surveyed by Thomson

have you reviewed your

life insurance lately?

10% off total bill with this ad* *Not eligible with a gift certificate *Excludes alcohol *Not Valid with Christmas Parties

Lunch Hours: Tues-Sat. 11:30am-2:30pm • Dinner Hours: Wed-Sat. 5:30pm-9:00pm

828-287-2932 • 205 Fashion CirCle • rutherFordton, NC www.thewateroakrestaurant.com

Seams to Be Fabrics

Sewing Center

December Classes Quillow

Dec. 1 , 8th, & 15th 7-9pm st

Braided Table Runner

Dec. 3rd, 10th, & 17th 7-9pm Dec 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th 1-3 pm

Pajama Party

Dec. 5th, 12th, 19th 1-3pm

Prepay with registration Open Mon. - Sat. til Christmas Visit Our Store or Web site 526 US Hwy 74 Business • Bostic, NC 828 245-5400 • www.seamstobefabrics.com

Reuters had expected. Separately, the government also reported consumer spending rose a brisk 0.7 percent last month, following a 0.6 percent drop in September. According to preliminary calculations, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 30.69, or 0.3 percent, to 10,464.40. The broader Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 4.98, or 0.5 percent, to 1,110.63, and the Nasdaq composite index rose 6.87, or 0.3 percent, to 2,176.05. The dollar fell against most other major currencies, while gold rose to another record, settling at 1,188.60. Bond prices were mixed. The benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose, pushing its yield down to 3.27 percent from 3.31 percent late Tuesday. The yield on the three-month T-bill rose to 0.05 percent from 0.03 percent. Light, sweet crude rose $1.94 to settle at $77.96 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Two stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange, where volume came to 795.1 million shares compared with 963.9 million Tuesday.

NEW YORK — It’s OK if your boyfriend doesn’t like the digital camera you bought him. So long as he doesn’t open the box. As you begin your holiday shopping, remember that return policies vary greatly, even among products from the same store. For example, some retailers charge a 15 percent restocking fee on digital cameras and other electronics if the packaging is unsealed. That’s even if the items weren’t used. Policies may differ from what you remember, too. Many retailers have loosened rules to boost sales, but others are tightening them to protect against losses in the downturn. So before you start shopping, be sure you’re aware of the hassles you could be leaving under the tree. WATCH THE CLOCK Most stores require returns to be made within a certain time. Some major chains, including Sears, Target and Walmart, allow as many as 90 days to return most items. Smaller retailers usually permit far less, often 10 days or two weeks. There can also be numerous exceptions within a store policy. Electronics usually need to be returned much sooner, and the specifics can vary depending on the product. At Best Buy, for example, you have 14 days to return a computer, but 30 days for a printer. Some stores roll out special holiday policies to give people more time to make returns. HOLD ON TO RECEIPTS Always include a gift receipt, which omits the price you paid. It seems minor, but the gesture can prevent headaches at the counter. That’s particularly true if you want to be sure the person gets an exchange of equal value. Chances are the sweater you buy your niece will be marked down after Christmas. Without a receipt, she may only be credited with the sale price. Or you can hold on to the receipt if the gift is for immediate family. If your husband doesn’t like the tie you pick, you can get your money back and buy him something else. If you don’t have a receipt, larger chains, including Target, can use your credit or debit card to look up how much you paid and give you an even return or exchange. Even with a receipt, of course, your options may be limited. Some stores only give cash refunds by mailing you a check. This typically happens when an expensive item is purchased with cash, or if you want money back on a gift. Gift cards are another instance when there’s little room for negotiation; most stores won’t offer a refund. BE AWARE OF FEES Restocking fees of 15 percent or more can add up quickly. The fee on an $800 laptop, for instance, could be $120 or more. The lesson? Even if you want to “ooh and aah” over a present to show your appreciation, be sure it’s for keeps before you tear into the packaging. Restocking fees are most common among electronics, but they come with other products as well. Such fees might seem unfair if the merchandise hasn’t been used, but stores charge them because shoppers tend to prefer factorysealed products. Another way you might lose money is if you buy gifts online. Shipping and handling charges typically aren’t credited back with returns, and you may also have to foot the costs to mail the items back. That’s the case at Amazon, which requires that most items be returned within 30 days. Otherwise, you only get 80 percent of the purchase price back. ASK FOR AN ACCOMMODATION Before you try to return a gift you’re not happy with, go to the store’s Web site and read the policy to see if you’re within your rights. Even if you’re not — say you missed the deadline — your case isn’t hopeless. Managers usually have the discretion to bend the rules, so go in with a pleasant attitude and make your case. Stores might be more lenient with good customers, too. So tactfully let the manager know if you have a store credit or rewards card. After all, the last thing stores wants to do right now is breed ill will with regular customers.

— The

Daily Courier, Forest City, NC, Thursday, November 26, 2009

NATION

Jobless benefit claims lowest since January By JEANNINE AVERSA and MARTIN CRUTSINGER AP Economics Writers

WASHINGTON — In a hopeful sign for the economy, the number of newly laid-off workers filing claims for unemployment benefits fell below 500,000 last week for the first time since January. Consumer spending also picked up in October, and new-home sales hit their highest point in more than a year. Combined, the news suggested that the economy should be able to sustain at least a modest rebound. Some economists have worried that the economy was at risk of slipping back into recession. The number of people filing firsttime claims for jobless aid fell by 35,000 to 466,000, the Labor Department said Wednesday. That was the fewest since September of last year. And it was far better than the 500,000 economists had expected.

Still, analysts noted that jobless claims would have to drop to near 400,000 for several weeks to signal actual growth in employment. Economists estimate the economy will lose a net 145,000 jobs this month. It would have to add 125,000 jobs a month just to keep the unemployment rate from rising. Some economists sounded cautionary notes about Wednesday’s positive news. They say the sluggish recovery could limit further improvements in jobless claims, new-home sales and consumer spending, which powers 70

percent of the economy. “When taken all together, the reports still paint a picture of a slow economic recovery,” said Mark Vitner, an economist at Wells Fargo. One such sign was that orders for costly manufactured goods fell unexpectedly last month. Much of October’s weakness came from a big drop for goods related to defense. Excluding those, orders for other types of manufactured goods rose slightly. Still, the overall performance was weaker than economists had expected. Some analysts also cautioned against reading too much into the sharp drop in unemployment claims. They noted that part of the improvement reflected large seasonal adjustment factors, which smooth out changes that normally occur at certain times of the year. Excluding seasonal adjustments, claims rose. That’s normal at this time of year when many construction workers face layoffs because of worsening weather conditions. Most economists say the recovery will remain so weak and job creation so slight that the unemployment rate will keep rising. Many think the rate, which hit a 26-year high of 10.2 percent in October, could top 10.5 percent by mid-2010. Federal Reserve policymakers expressed concern at their November meeting that the rate could remain elevawted for several years, according to minutes of the discussions released Tuesday. Analysts also noted the surge in new-home sales was driven entirely by a 23 percent increase in the South.

Associated Press

President Barack Obama, right, with daughters, Sasha Obama, 8, Malia Obama, 11, reacts with Walter Pelletier, chairman of the National Turkey Federation, as Malia reaches to pet a turkey, Courage, the day before Thanksgiving, during a ceremony in the North Portico of the White House in Washington Wednesday.

‘Courage’ the turkey gets a pardon, going to Disneyland By NATASHA T. METZLER Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON — After 10 months in office, President Barack Obama granted his first pardon Wednesday to “Courage,” a 45-pound turkey spared from the Thanksgiving table. Accompanied by daughters Sasha and Malia, Obama stood under the North Portico of the White House to honor a holiday tradition that dates to 1947 — receiving a bird from the National Turkey Federation. “I’m told Presidents Eisenhower and Johnson actually ate their turkeys,” Obama said. “You can’t fault them for that; that’s a good-looking bird.” President George H.W. Bush was the first to officially pardon a turkey. Obama joked about wanting to forgo the tradition and eat “Courage.” “Thanks to the interventions of Malia and Sasha — because I was planning to eat this sucker — ’Courage’ will also be spared this terrible and delicious fate,” he said. Obama said he wished all American

service members at home and abroad a happy Thanksgiving, saying it is a “tremendous honor it is to serve as commander in chief of the finest military in the world.” He also spoke about the first family’s plans for the holiday dinner. “Just like millions of other families across America, we’ll take time to give our thanks for many blessings,” Obama said. Obama noted that President Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a holiday in the midst of the Civil War, “when the future of our very union was most in doubt.” “This is an era of new perils and new hardships,” he added. “So on this quintessentially American holiday, as we give thanks for what we’ve got, let’s also give back to those who are less fortunate.” After his remarks, the turkey was lifted to a table and Obama raised his hand over its head to deliver a mock-serious pardon. “You are hereby pardoned,” he said. Obama said “Courage” will spend the rest of his life at Disneyland.

The Daily Courier, Forest City, NC, Thursday, November 26, 2009 — 13

BlueRidgeDesign & Firehouse Inn are thankful for those that made our 1st year together a success.

Thanks for the Memories!

Ribbon Cutting

Join The Inn Crow

Innkeeper David preparing breakfast

Hunter D ougla Centurion s Showcase Dealer

Shopping for clients at the Furniture Mart

Design & Build Sita, Keven

en Display Our Hallowe

and Kitty

We added Sonama Laven a new product line! der Aromatera py Spa product s

Our Christm

as Display

134 N. Washington St. • Rutherfordton, NC

828-286-8069 • Mon - Fri 9:30am - 5:30pm www.blueridgedesignllc.com • www.thefirehouseinn.com

— The

Daily Courier, Forest City, NC, Thursday, November 26, 2009

SHOE by Chris Cassat and Gary Brookins

THE GRIZZWELLS by Bill Schoor

BROOM-HILDA by Russell Myers

DILBERT by Scott Adams

GIL THORP by Jerry Jenkins, Ray Burns and Frank McLaughlin

THE BORN LOSER by Art and Chip Sansom

ARLO AND JANIS by Jimmy Johnson

FRANK AND ERNEST by Bob Thaves

EVENING

NOVEMBER 26 DSH DTV 7:00

7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30

BROADCAST STATIONS

# WBTV $ WYFF _ WSPA ) WSOC ` WLOS 0 WGGS 5 WHNS A WUNF H WMYA Q WRET Æ WYCW

3 4 7 13 2 12 6 8 97 10

3 4 7 9 13 16 21 33 40 62

Foot Enter Foot Inside For Vic Two Busi Payne Trek Fam

265 329 249 202 278 206 209 360 248 258 312 229 269 252 299 241 244 247 256 280 245 296 649 242 307

The First 48 The First 48 The First 48 The First 48 Crime 360 The First 48 Coming Steve Harvey: Still Trippin’ Game Mo’Nique W. Williams Dun Dun Jeff Dunham Dun Dun Tosh. Tosh. Lewis Black Ralphie May Lou Dobbs Camp. Brown Larry King Anderson Cooper 360 Å Larry King MythBusters MythBusters MythBusters MythBusters MythBusters MythBusters SportsCenter College Football Texas at Texas A&M. SportsCenter SportsCenter College Basketball Basketball Score Basketball FOX Report O’Reilly Hannity (N) On Record O’Reilly Hannity SEC Gridiron Snow Angels World Poker ACC Top World Poker World Poker Home Alone } ››› Home Alone (‘90) } ››› Home Alone (‘90) 70s 70s Princess } ››› Mrs. Doubtfire :15 } The Princess Bride Mrs. Dfire When Angels Old Fashioned Thanksgiving } Our First Christmas (‘08) Gold Gold House House Holiday Ideas House House House Estate Prop First House House Holidays Pawn Pawn Pawn Pawn Pawn Pawn Impossible Pawn Pawn Grey’s Anat. Grey’s Anat. } ››› Love Actually (‘03) Hugh Grant. Fra Me } Mr. Troop Mom (‘09) Å Lopez Lopez Lopez Lopez Lopez Lopez Lopez Lopez Broth Band of Brothers TNA Wrestling (N) Å MAN MAN MAN MAN Tomorrow Never Dies (‘97) } ››› Casino Royale (‘06) Daniel Craig. For Your Name Name Fam Fam } ›› You, Me and Dupree Lopez Funny Sein Plymouth } ››› To Catch a Thief } ››› High Society (‘56) } The Swan Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Bones Å NBA Basketball: Magic at Hawks NBA Basketball: Bulls at Jazz Tom and Jerry Tom and Jerry King King Fam Fam Chick Aqua College Football Wofford at Furman. ACC Phen College My } ›› The Game Plan (‘07) } ››› Elf (‘03) Å House Å House Å New New WWE Stars National Lamp. Scru Scru WWE Stars

8651 8182 8181 8650 8180 8192 8183 8190 8184 8185

Mil Inside Scene Enter Jeop Faith Sein NC My Big Office

Survivor CSI The Office Matt Lauer Survivor CSI Charlie Br. Beyoncé Charlie Br. Beyoncé Niteline P. } Night at the Museum Our Ex North Folk Magic Magic House Hr Carolina Stori Vampire Supernatural

The Mentalist Jay Leno The Mentalist McCartney: McCartney: Praise the Lord News Ken Burns’s News Holly Lens News Office

News News News News News Sein BBC TMZ Smi Fam

Late Show Late Tonight Show Late Late Show Late Night Kimmel Night Kimmel Something Frien Frien Jim Charlie Rose Smi Dr. Oz Show Chea BBC Charlie Rose 70s Name Lopez

CABLE CHANNELS

A&E BET COM CNN DISC ESPN ESPN2 FNC FSS FX FXM HALL HGTV HIST LIFE NICK SPIKE SYFY TBS TCM TLC TNT TOON TS USA WGN-A

23 17 46 27 24 25 37 15 20 36 38 16 29 43 35 40 44 45 30 42 28 19 14 33 32 -

118 124 107 200 182 140 144 205 137 133 187 112 120 108 170 168 122 139 132 183 138 176 437 105 239

PREMIUM CHANNELS

MAX ENC HBO SHO STARZ

510 520 500 540 530

310 340 300 318 350

512 526 501 537 520

Fool’s Gold Hellboy II: The Golden Army } ›› Yes Man (‘08) Å Beethoven } ›› Snow Dogs :45 } ››› Mrs. Doubtfire (‘93) Rush Horton Hears } Hotel for Dogs Mr. Confessions Witless Pr Dexter } Superhero Movie Lara Croft Tmb Fired Paul Blart: Mall Cop Crash Å Crash Å Crash Å

Alien Sex Tim Burton Terror Chuck Crash Å

Numbers game cracks up readers Dear Abby: I loved the letter from “Claire in Bethlehem, Pa.” (Sept. 4) and her idea of creating dinner parties or luncheons to celebrate days with unique numbers. I agree wholeheartedly with your response to her. I bet if there were a 13-13-13, Murphy’s Law would mandate that it fall on a Friday!’ I am curious how many readers won’t get the joke and will write in, feeling the need to explain to you that there isn’t a 13th month. I am betting it’ll be in the hundreds; my husband is betting maybe just a dozen. Could you settle that bet for us? We have a dinner riding on it. — Amanda Dear Amanda: You win. I heard from readers by the hundreds, and about half of them volunteered that they thought I was “losing it.” (Thanks, folks!) I hope the dinner your husband buys you will be sumptuous, intimate, candlelit and enjoyable. Read on: Dear Abby: If you want your advice to be taken seriously, check what you write before you publish. In today’s paper you said you hope 13-13-13 falls on a Friday. What planet are you from? I’m not sure I even want to read advice from a person who is this disconnected. So get out the calendar, check your facts and print a retraction! — Bill Dear Abby: I’m not a stupid per-

Dear Abby Abigail van Buren

son, but I thought you’d get a kick out of knowing I actually tried to research what day of the week 13-1313 would fall on. Then I just cracked up out loud. — Shari Dear Abby: Were you serious? I am sure you were trying to be funny, and I’m not trying to insult you. It took me a couple of seconds to realize there is no 13th month, so it would be impossible to throw a dinner party on 13-13-13. I hope you’ll write your column forever because it had an influence on me deciding to become a counselor. — Dianna Dear Abby: I looked it up, and 13-13-13 does NOT fall on Friday. It falls on a Noneday. — Flora Dear Abby: Allow me to offer a suggestion to “Claire in Bethlehem, Pa.” For her Oct. 10, 2010, party she should pop some popcorn and rent a Bo Derek movie. — Joel Dear Abby: I suggest you celebrate 13-13-13 on April Fool’s Day. — Joan Dear Readers: It is my intent that this column not only inform and educate, but also entertain.

Kiwi remedies constipation Dear Dr. Gott: I’m from Australia. While visiting a friend in America, I read your column in the newspaper about chronic constipation. My son-in-law, who suffered with this for years, told me about a very good and natural remedy. Scrub the “fur” off the skin of a kiwi fruit. Do not peel the skin off. Remove the hard ends, and cut the fruit into four sections. Eat the kiwi, skin and all, first thing each morning until regular. This needs to be repeated only as required. After major surgery, my husband tried this to avoid any straining, and it worked for him, too! Dear Reader: Kiwi fruit is rich in water-soluble vitamins, antioxidants, flavonoids and minerals. It is reported to contain more vitamin C than oranges, as much potassium as bananas and a good amount of beta carotene. It is rich in dietary fiber, which is likely the reason it cured the problem of chronic constipation. Foods high in fiber are known to

PUZZLE

Ask Dr. Gott Dr. Peter M. Gott

reduce cholesterol levels, help diabetes, lower the likelihood of heart attack and improve conditions for those suffering from cardiovascular disease. Constipation can occur for a variety of reasons, including poor diet, a lack of exercise, an insufficient intake of water, electrolyte abnormalities and changes in one’s lifestyle. Disorders such as thyroid conditions, hemorrhoids, fissures, and neurological disorders, including stroke and Parkinson’s disease, can contribute to the problem. A number of medications, primarily narcotics, antacids, antidepressants and those used for hypertension and heart ailments could also be to blame.

IN THE STARS

Your birthday, Nov. 26;

The better prepared you are in your chosen field of endeavor, the greater the possibilities for advancement. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) — You could learn a painful lesson from something that takes place, but it’ll be worth it. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Something you greatly desire could come through an unlikely person. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Greater benefits and joy are likely to be derived from gatherings rather than individual acts. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) — If you approach your tasks as superb accomplishments rather than mere chores, you’ll be far more productive. ARIES (March 21-April 19) — You’ll do quite well when challenged, as long as you don’t allow emotion to enter the picture. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — This is an excellent day to entertain at home. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) — What a wonderful day to get together with family or friends. CANCER (June 21-July 22) — It’s an excellent time to be bolder and more innovative than usual. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — You might wake up feeling lazy and desirous of taking it easy, but as the festivities of the day warm up, so will you. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Colleagues are fortunate to have you around because you’ll jump in and assist. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) — Your greatest successes are likely to come from introducing something new. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) — Credit your imagination in making what could have been a repeat into something different.

The Daily Courier, Forest City, NC, THURSDAY, November 26, 2009 — 15

CLASSIFIEDS Contact Erika Meyer to place your ad! Call: 828-245-6431 Fax: 828-248-2790 Email: emeyer@thedigitalcourier.com In person: 601 Oak St., Forest City DEADLINES: New Ads, Cancellations & Changes Tuesday Edition.............Monday, 12pm Wednesday Edition......Tuesday, 2pm Thursday Edition......Wednesday, 2pm Friday Edition...............Thursday, 2pm Saturday Edition................Friday, 2pm Sunday Edition......................Friday, 2pm

Please check your ad on the first day that it runs. Call us before the deadline for the next edition with corrections. We will rerun the ad or credit your account for no more than one day.

*4 line minimum on all ads Apartments Richmond Hill Senior Apts. in Rfdtn 1BR Units w/handicap accessible units avail. Sec 8 assistance avail. 287-2578 Hours: Mon., Tues., & Thurs. 7-3. TDD Relay 1-800-735-2962 Equal Housing Opportunity. Income Based Rent.

1 WEEK SPECIAL Run ad 6 consecutive days and only pay for 5 days*

2 WEEK SPECIAL Run ad 12 consecutive days and only pay for 9 days*

3 DAY WEEKEND SPECIAL YARD SALE SPECIAL Run a 20 word yard sale ad Thurs., Fri., & Sat. for ONLY $20. Additional words are only 75¢ each. Deadline: Wed. at 2 p.m.

Apartments

2BR/1BA APT in FC Newly updated! $425/mo. + sec. dep. Contact 828-228-5873

2BR/1.5BA $400/mo & 3BR/1.5BA $475/mo. Carolina Properties 828-625-9800

2 & 3BR Close to downtown Rfdtn. D/w, stove, refrig., w/d hook up. No pets! 287-0733

1 & 2 BEDROOM APARTMENTS Some with free utilities! Ask about NO DEPOSIT! Call 245-0016 leave message

Nice 2 Bedroom Townhouse Apt & 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. 1-888-684-5072

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION RUTHERFORD COUNTY 09 SP 457 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY JAMES T. CAMPBELL AND MARGARET S. CAMPBELL DATED FEBRUARY 4, 1999 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 558 AT PAGE 155 IN THE RUTHERFORD COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in the payment of the secured indebtedness and failure to perform the stipulation and agreements therein contained and, pursuant to demand of the owner and holder of the secured debt, the undersigned substitute trustee will expose for sale at public auction to the highest bidder for cash at the usual place of sale at the county courthouse of said county at 3:00 PM on December 9, 2009 the following described real estate and any other improvements which may be situated thereon, in Rutherford County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being a part of that land described in Deed Book 464, Page 281 and also a part of that land described in Deed Book 361, Page 553, Rutherford County Registry. Beginning at an iron pin, Northwest corner of Melton as recorded in Deed Book 464, Page 281 in line of JC Hamrick, Deed Book 226, Page 407, and runs thence with Hamrick line North 30-14-45 West 210.57 feet to an iron pin; thence North 47-29-20 East 432.75 feet to an iron pin; thence South 22-12-50 East 457.37 feet to an iron pin in line of Melton; thence with the line of Melton South 82-29-00 West 389.22 feet to the point and place of beginning, and containing 3.00 acres according to survey for James Campbell, by Lavender, Smith and Associates, dated October 21, 1985. Being also a portion of that 5.26 acre tract deed by Gerald Melton and wife, to Billy Moore and wife, recorded the date of the recording of this deed. And being the same property as that described in deed dated November 8, 1985 from Billy Moore and wife, Bernice C. Moore to James T. Campbell and wife, Margaret S. Campbell and recorded in Deed Book 479, Page 77, Rutherford County Registry. And Being more commonly known as: 198 Buckshot Scooter Ln, 196 Buckshot Scooter Ln, Cliffside, NC 28024 The record owner(s) of the property, as reflected on the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Margaret S. Campbell. The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance "AS IS, WHERE IS." Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is made subject to all prior liens and encumbrances, and unpaid taxes and assessments including but not limited to any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. Following the expiration of the statutory upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS: If you are a tenant residing in the property, be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination. The date of this Notice is November 18, 2009. Grady Ingle Substitute Trustee 8520 Cliff Cameron Drive, Suite 300 Charlotte, NC 28269 (704) 333-8107 http://shapiroattorneys.com/nc/ 08-101778

*Private party customers only! This special must be mentioned at the time of ad placement. Valid 11/23/09 - 11/27/09

Homes

Help Wanted

For Sale

Administrative Executive Must have Quickbooks experience, be self disciplined, and possess good organizational, computer, and communication skills. Real estate experience a plus! Send resume to: rcjob@live.com

GREAT STARTER in Cleveland County! 3BR/1BA Brick ranch w/great features - brick fireplace in family room, large eat-in kitchen, hardwoods, in-ground pool, large fenced backyard, swing set and 2 storage sheds remain. $94,900 #45277 Coldwell Banker Mountain View Real Estate Contact Marsha Brown 704-284-0137

Homes For Rent 2BR/1BA House in FC. Cent. h/a, range, refrig. No pets! $500/ mo. + ref’s. & sec. dep. Call 245-9247

WENDY’S is now looking for an Assistant Manager in Forest City. Health insurance, 401k, 5 day work wk, free uniforms and much more! Please send resume to: Brandon Jones, PO Box 1022, Pisgah Forest, NC 28768 or email bjones@ tarheelcapital.com or fax 828-633-0493 EOE

3BR/2BA, private road, full acre, quite, wooded. Also, large camper accommodates 2 on private road, water and electric provided. Must be seen. Priced right. 245-8734

3BR/2BA MH in Rutherfordton!

RENT TO OWN! Will Finance! No Banks! Hurry! You pay no lot rent, taxes, or insurance!

Wanted 29 Serious People. Put your computer to work!! $$$ paid daily pt/ft 6FigureMoney.com

For Sale Square bales of hay fescue and serrica Call 287-3933

Want To Buy I PAY CASH FOR DIABETIC TEST STRIPS Up to $10 per 100 ct. Call Frank 828-577-4197

WILL BUY YOUR JUNK Cars & Trucks Pick up at your convenience!

Call 223-0277 PIANIST NEEDED for Kistler’s Chapel UMC Call 286-2520 leave message

Mobile Homes For Rent

Help Wanted

Rumbling Bald Resort is looking to hire for the following positions: 1 PT Houseman 2 PT Housekeepers 1 FT Facilities Tech Available immediately Experience Preferred Drug Free workplace Apply on-line at www.rumblingbald.com

or In person at: 112 Mountains Blvd, Lake Lure. No phone calls please!

NEG. $75/wk + dep

704-806-6686 Subscribe 245-6431

Shop The Classifieds 245-6431

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the estate of JESSE S. TAYLOR of Rutherford County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the estate of the said JESSE S. TAYLOR to present them to the undersigned on or before the 5th day of February 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 5th day of November, 2009. Stephanie H. Cwik, Executor 8400 Ivy Falls Way #1538 Knoxville, TN 37923

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the estate of MITCHELL D. HOYL (aka HOYLE) of Rutherford County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the estate of the said MITCHELL D. HOYL (aka HOYLE) to present them to the undersigned on or before the 5th day of February 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 5th day of November, 2009. Maurice B. Hoyle, Executor 291 Oak Grove Church Road Bostic, NC 28018

Want to buy lawn mowers. Any kind. 828-245-0479 or 828-305-5339

Lost F Red Bone Coon hound puppy 4 mo. old. Lost 11/17 from Cedar Creek Rd., Lake Lure 828-625-0402 Black female pit bull terrier Last seen at 1205 US Hwy 221A. Needs her meds! 248-1898 or 429-6962

Found Male Rottweiler found on 11/24 at gas station on corner of Hwy 74 and Main St., Rfdtn. 245-1871 Male Shih Tzu white, gray and tan, friendly, well groomed. Found on 221. 748-1165 or 748-6050

Classifieds

Found

Australian Shepherd docked tail, blue mure color, male, found Walls Ch. Community Call 453-7580

Yard Sales FC, Inside Old Furniture Barn, Sat. 9A-3P Bargains! $1, $2, $3 yard sale, Everything must go Don’t miss! Rain/Shine

Inside: FC 1552US Hwy 221A Sat. 9A-until, new and used. Household, game table, shoes, plus size clothes, Christmas, furniture, desk MOVING SALE Spindale: 423 Westwood St. (on the left, past elementary school) Fri. 7:30A-til Household items & some furniture!

Multi-family, FC, Fox Run (off Oakland), Sat. 9A-1P Exercise bike, big variety, lots of Christmas, some new.

RAIN OR SHINE FC: 273 Forest Lake Rd. (across from church) Thanksgiving 10A4P, Fri. & Sat. 6A-10A Top quality items! Ladies clothes, (sm.med), baby crib, books crochet afghans, quilts dish sets, costume jewelry, Christmas sweaters & more! Rfdtn: 820 US Hwy. 221N, 2nd house past Broyhill. Sat. 7A-2P Christmas, toys, clothes, shoes, wood-coal heater, collectibles, much more

Store Manager and Sales Associates Premier Locations/U.S. Cellular, one of the country’s leading wireless providers, is growing in North Carolina — a great opportunity for self-motivated individuals to advance in a dynamic company. Great hourly wage plus commissions and benefits.

Send resume to: tnjobs@uscpremier.com or fax 865-482-3761

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! FROM THE STAFF AT THE DAILY COURIER

16 — The Daily Courier, Forest City, NC, THURSDAY, November 26, 2009

WEB DIRECTORY Visit the advertisers below by entering their Web address

AUTO DEALERSHIPS

HEALTH CARE

NEWSPAPER

REAL ESTATE

HUNNICUTT FORD

BUSINESS&SERVICE DIRECTORY (828) 245-1626 www.hunnicuttfordmercury.com

(828) 245-6431 www.thedigitalcourier.com

(828) 245-0095 www.hospiceofrutherford.org

(828) 286-1311 www.keeverrealestate.com

To List Your Website In This Directory, Contact The Daily Courier Classified Department at (828) 245-6431 Erika Meyer, Ext. 205

GRADING & HAULING

AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING

“We’re Not Comfortable Until You Are” “Serving Rutherford & Cleveland County For 30 Years” NC License 6757 • SC License 4299 FAST RELIABLE SERVICE ON ALL BRANDS Free Estimates • Best Warranties All Work Guaranteed Service • Installation • Duct Cleaning • IAQ Gas / Oil / Heat Pumps / Geothermal / Boilers Residential & Commercial 24 Hour Emergency Service

245-1141

YOUR AD COULD BE HERE!

DAVID’S GRADING We do it all

No job too small

828-657-6006 Track Hoe Work, Tractor Work , Dozer Work, Bobcat Work, Trenching, Grading and Land Clearing, Hauling Gravel, Sand, Dirt, Etc. FREE ESTIMATE

www.shelbyheating.com

Does your business need a boost? Let us design an eye catching ad for your business! Business & Services Directory ads get results! Call the Classified Department!

245-6431 HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

Specializing In Metal Roofing.....Offered In Many Colors

Bill Gardner Construction, Inc

Guaranteed Lowest Prices on Vinyl DH Windows Vinyl Replacement Windows Double Pane, Double Hung 3/4" Glass, Energy-Star Rated

FREE LOW E AND ARGON!

INSTALLED - $199*

*up to 101 UI

Wood & Vinyl Decks • Vinyl Siding • Kitchen & Bath Remodeling Reface Your Cabinets, Don't Replace Them!

Clean up at the end of each day GUARANTEED

H & M Industries, Inc.

828-248-1681

704-434-9900

Website - hmindustries.com

Visa Mastercard Discover

HOME REPAIR

LAWN CARE

* Leaf Removal * roofing * concrete * decks & steps * painting * carpentry * skirting * plumbing * sheet rock * room additions * metal roofing

No Job Too Small Discount for Senior Citizens

828-657-6518 828-223-0310 ROOFING

Todd McGinnis Roofing Rubberized/Roofing Metal Fix Leaks FREE ESTIMATES

828-286-2306

* Gutter Cleaning

Quality Lawn Care 223-8191 ROOFING

Hensley’s Power Washing

828-245-6333 828-253-9107 AFFORDABLE HOUSE WASHING WITH experience & knowledge & Great Customer service We Can Bring Water

PAINTING

Great references Free Estimates John 3:16

TREE CARE

Golden Valley Community Over 35 Years Experience

✓ 10% DISCOUNT FOR SENIOR CITIZENS CHURCHES & COMMUNITY BUILDINGS ALSO METAL ROOFS 5 YEAR WARRANTY ON LABOR FREE ESTIMATES

Call today! 245-8215

WINDOWS & SIDING ENTRANCE DOORS

Free Estimates & Fully Insured Licensed Contractor

Licensed Contractor with 35 Years Experience

245-6367

PAINTING

Interior & Exterior INSURED FREE ESTIMATES Reasonable Rates Owner Jerry Lancaster 286-0822

TREE TREE CARE CARE

Carolina Carolina Tree Tree Care Care

& & Stump Stump Grinding Grinding Topping & Removal Stump Grinding Fully Insured Free Estimates 20 Years Experience Senior Citizens & Veterans Discounts

Mark Reid 828-289-1871

STORM DOORS

Family Owned & Operated Local Business

Interior & Exterior 22 years experience

GARY LEE QUEEN’S ROOFING

✓ All work guaranteed ✓ Specializing in all types of roofing, new & old ✓ References furnished ✓ Vinyl Siding

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

10% 10% discount discount on all on all work work Valid Valid9/17-11/1/09 9/17-11/1/09

••Low LowRates Rates ••Good GoodClean CleanWork Work ••Satisfaction SatisfactionGuaranteed Guaranteed ••Fully FullyInsured Insured ••Free FreeEstimates Estimates

Chad Chad Sisk Sisk

(828) (828) 289-7092 289-7092 Senior SeniorCitizen CitizenDiscounts Discounts

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS for Less Than $5.25 Per Day! Call 245-6431 Ext. 205 VETERINARIAN Thunder Road Animal Bi-Lo Hospital Super 8 Motel 74 Bypass

Spindale Denny’s 286-0033 *Dog/Cat spay/neuter program *Low-cost monthly shot clinic *Flea & tick control *Heart worm prevention *SALE* Save Up To $4600 Today

The Daily Courier, Forest City, NC, Thursday, November 26, 2009 — 17

local

Beam completes a set of sit ups with Greene during a recent workout. The two work on core strengthening to help Beam to eventually run. Garrett Byers/Daily Courier

Garrett Byers/Daily Courier

Michael Greene, left, watches as Stacy Beam works on stretching before a work out.

Beam Continued from Page 1

Garrett Byers/Daily Courier

Beam works on strengthening his upper body. Following the wreck that almost took his life, Beam could not sit up in bed without falling over. “Now, I walk,” he said.

started to want to walk, and walked around in my kitchen where he could hold onto the counters,” she said. “Each step he took made me believe more he was going to come out of this.” Stacy began therapy at OneSource Rehab and later at Therapy Plus. He continues therapy now, four days a week, at Changing Lives Fitness Center with Dr. Mike Greene. Therapy at Changing Lives, Stacy said, has taken him out of his comfort zone. “This is a whole lot harder than winning two world championships in kart racing,” Stacy said. One of the first milestones Stacy met at Changing Lives, Dr. Mike said, was that within a month Stacy went from using a walker to using a four-prong cane. Now, Stacy parks his car at the edge of the parking lot to walk in for therapy unassisted. “Any type of range of motion with the lower right extremity is difficult for him,” Dr. Mike said. “But, his stabilization has increased so much. It’s allowed him to regain his independence and daily living skills.”

Funeral Home Family Owned and Operated Since 1953

We would like to wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving

Steve Carroll Funeral Director/Owner

4076 Hwy. 221-A, P.O. Box 337 Cliffside, NC 28024

828-657-6322 www.mckinneylandrethfuneralhome.com

If he didn’t challenge me, I wouldn’t be here. I tell him he can’t make me sore — it makes him mad.

— Stacy Beam

Stacy’s workouts vary, Mike said, and they go with the flow. Mike pushes him, as during a recent workout where the two put on boxing gear and threw punches. “I enjoy torturing him,” Mike said, smiling at Stacy. “If he didn’t challenge me, I wouldn’t be here,” Stacy said. “I tell him he can’t make me sore — it makes him mad.” Since beginning therapy with Dr. Mike, Stacy’s gone from being able to walk and drive alone to even being able to do something he never believed would be possible again — racing a kart again. At a recent kart race Stacy attended, he said, “a guy had just won and I wound up taking two seconds off his time. It felt pretty good.” Not quite four years after the wreck, Stacy is happily married now and enjoys spending time with his family. Always a practical joker, he recently convinced

Rhonda to take her car to be washed and when she returned home she discovered a yellow mom’s taxi sign on it. “He’s my baby and the joy of my life,” she said. “Some days we cry, and others we laugh — we’ve fought this thing together.” Stacy’s done many things doctors told him he wouldn’t, Joe said, even walking back in to see his therapists at CarePartners — something he promised he’d do. Even when he has bad days, he’s not one to wonder why the wreck occurred. “He doesn’t sit down and cry and say ‘Why me, Lord?’” Joe said. “He has a wonderful outlook,” Rhonda added. “He’s thankful to have a second chance.” There’s no reason to dwell on what’s happened, Stacy said. He got to live, and that’s what he intends to do. “You only live once — why would you want to give up?”

— The

Daily Courier, Forest City, NC, Thursday, November 26, 2009

WORLD

Rains soak millions on way to pilgrimage site

Group

The Best Just Keeps Getting Better... 1999 Ford Crown Victoria

4,570

#2827A Local Owned V8 Rear Drive All Power

1999 Cadillac Deville

#2522A V8 Auto All Power Good Miles

6,980

#3011 4 cyl Auto A/C P-Seat CD All Power

2006 Ford Ranger Ext Cab

8,960

4,980

2000 Cadillac Eldorado ETC

#3114 Only 64K Miles V8 Leather CD P-Seats Alloys

2001 Lincoln Town Car Signature

#3079 Sport Package V6 Auto A/C CD

#2294 4 cyl Auto All Power CD Gas Sipper

5,985

#1849 V8 Rear Drive Leather P-Seats Fully Equipped

2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser

6,940

2006 Chevy HHR LS

7,935

2006 Dodge Ram 1500

#3360 Only 50K Miles All Power 6 spd New Tires

9,745

= www.watkinsauto.com = 2006 Dodge Magnum

#3330 V6 Auto Fully Equipped

10,455

2005 Ford F-150 XLT Ext Cab

2007 Chevy Trailblazer

#3304 4x4 Auto A/C Full Power Equipped

10,945

2007 Chevy Impala LT

By HADEEL AL-SHALCHI Associated Press Writer JIDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — The heaviest rain to hit Islam’s annual hajj pilgrimage in years soaked the faithful and flooded the road to Mecca, snarling traffic as millions of Muslims headed for the holy sites. The downpours add an extra hazard on top of intense concerns about the spread of swine flu. Pilgrims in white robes holding umbrellas, some wearing face masks for fear of the flu, circled the black cube-shaped Kaaba in Mecca, the opening rite for the hajj. But the shrine — Islam’s holiest site — and the nearby, rain-soaked streets did not see the usual massive, pushing crowds, because many tried to stay inside nearby hotels or were caught in the traffic jams heading into the city. Mecca and the nearby Red Sea coastal city of Jiddah often see heavy rains during the winter months, and Wednesday’s were unusually strong, swamping Jiddah with 2.76 inches of rain, more than it gets in a year on average, according to weather officials. They were the heaviest in years to coincide with the four-day hajj. Already jammed traffic was worsened — with a jam of cars as long as 20 miles (35 kilometers) on the partially closed road from Jiddah to Mecca, and some pilgrims and journalists were trapped in Jiddah. The rains could also exacerbate the hajj’s perennial dangers. The rites — a lifetime dream for Muslims, who come to cleanse their sins — are always a logistical nightmare, as a population the size of a small city moves between Mecca and holy sites in the nearby desert over the course of four days. In the past, the rites have been plagued by deadly crushes caused by congestion as the unimaginable crowds perform the rituals. In 2006, all it took was a piece of luggage dropped by one person to trip up others and cause a pile-up that killed more than 360 people. A slippery, rain-slicked street could be equally deadly — and with the main rites due to begin outside Mecca on Thursday, Saudi authorities

Associated Press

A pilgrim attending the hajj speaks on a mobile phone amidst heavy rains in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday. The heaviest rainstorms to hit Islam’s annual hajj in years soaked pilgrims and flooded the road into Mecca, snarling traffic as millions of Muslims headed for the holy sites.

urged those arriving at the holy sites to move cautiously and not to rush. This year has brought the added worry that the massing of more than 3 million people from around the world could bring a swine flu outbreak. In the past months, the Saudi government has been working with the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to set up clinics and precautionary measures to stem any outbreak. Shahul Ebrahim, a consultant from the Atlanta, Georgia-based CDC at the hajj, said it was too early to tell if the rains could exacerbate the spread of H1N1, which is transmitted in the air, not by water. “Rain can lead to other waterborne diseases ... But we still don’t know how it will effect H1N1. We can’t predict,” he told The Associated Press. Hassan El Bushra, an epidemiologist in the Cairo office of the World Health Organization, said “there is no evidence that this will cause any kind of spread, including the spread of swine flu.” It could even be beneficial if it means crowds are smaller, he said. So far, four pilgrims have died from the H1N1 virus since arriving in Saudi Arabia in recent days, and 67 others have been diagnosed with the virus.

y Tour e n o s T 181 Wells Mill Rd Bostic N.C. 28018 245-9707 • Mon - Fri; 10:00 to 6:00

“Winter Holiday’’ Tours 2929 5.4L V8 Auto A/C All Power Alloys

11,475

2007 Chrysler Pacifica

#3364 V6 P-Seats CD All Power Off Lease Only 45K miles

11,740

2003 Toyota Four Runner Sport

Sat. Dec. 19th ....

“Christmas 1942’’ at the Barter Theatre .... $84.00 features a Holiday lunch at the Greenway Haven Restaurant and tour of the Bristol Motor Speedway’’ Festival of Lights’’

Sat. Jan. 9th

“World’s Largest Outlet Sale” in Pigeon Forge ... $33.00 full American breakfast and “Holiday Festival of Lights’’ tour #3069 Just Off Lease V6 P-Seats CD Like New!

11,765

2005 Nissan Maxima

#2171 V8 Auto Moonroof CD All Power Alloys

12,975

2006 GMC Sierra Ext Cab

Sat. Jan. 30th

“Legends of Country Music’’ show ... $79.00 Wohlfahrt Haus Theatre, four course lunch & wonderful show

Sat. Feb. 6th

“Carolina Nights’’ Dinner Theatre Show ... $49.00 Delicious dinner & fantastic show

Feb. 13 - 14 ...

# 3108 V6 Moonroof P-Seat CD Alloys

14,890

2008 Buick Lacrosse CXL

#3363 V8 Auto A/C All Power Chrome Package

14,920

2004 BMW X3 3.0i

“Valentine Sweetheart Weekend” ... $159.00 Oceanfront accommodation at Myrtle Beach, Carolina Opry Show, Seafood dinner & full American breakfast

Holiday Gift Certificates are available in any amount Call our office for details (before Dec. 12th)

#3334 3800 V6 Leather PSeat CD Alloys Good Miles

14,975

#3371 Auto AWD Leather Skyroof CD Loaded

16,960

828-245-0128 800-356-3166

269 West Main • Forest City

DLR #2458

Please join us for our

2010 “Tour Preview Get Together’’

on Saturday - Jan. 30th from 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. at East Rutherford High School