The Daily Dispatch - Friday, January 8, 2010a by The Daily Dispatch

CMYK Embers burn slowly in N.C.

Schools to open two hours late

Alabama, Texas meet for BCS title

Opinion, Page 10A

Local News, Page 12A

Sports, Page 1B FRIDAY, January 8, 2010

Volume XCVI, No. 7

(252) 436-2700

Arrest in area vehicle break-ins By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer

Law enforcement officers arrested a 24-year-old Henderson man on local felony charges Monday in connection with an area investigation of numerous vehicle breakins. Henderson Police charged Torrey Rossell Kersey of 458 Swain Drive Kersey with four counts of: Crime • Traffickalert, ing stolen Page 3A identifications. • Possession of stolen goods. • Financial transaction card theft. He was placed in the Vance County Jail in lieu of $230,000 secured bond, pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for Jan. 18 in Vance County District Court. The charges stemmed from a joint investigation by the police departments in Henderson, Raleigh and South Hill, Va. After serving a search warrant at Kersey’s residence on Oct. 28, detectives with the Henderson Police Department and the Vance County Sheriff’s Office discovered computer equipment and identity cards in the residence. As a result of the search, charges were also placed against Kersey in connection with eight cases of breaking-and-entering a motor vehicle in Wake County.

www.hendersondispatch.com

50 cents

Currins awarded custody of child Scott Morris declines to testify at hearing By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer

OXFORD — Full custody of the 6-year-old daughter of slain Granville County woman Kelly Currin Morris was granted Thursday to the woman’s father and stepmother. Chief District Judge Daniel Finch signed an order saying

Haley Morris could continue living with Pat and Juanita Currin. Finch acted after hearing testimony, including from the couple. Pat and Juanita Currin were temporarily granted custody of the girl Nov. 20, three days after the girl’s father, Scott, was booked and jailed without bond on a charge of first-degree murder of Kelly Currin Morris, who had

been missing since Sept. 3, 2008. The couple had obtained emergency custody of the child before Scott Morris was picked up by law enforcement officers. Morris Scott Morris, wearing an orange jail jumpsuit, was present for Thursday’s hearing and was called to the stand by Pat and Juanita Currin’s attorney, Tom Currin. Scott

Morris, acting on the advice of his attorney, Jerry Clayton, declined to testify. Scott Morris cited his constitutional right not to answer questions because any responses might tend to incriminate him. Haley Morris was not in the courtroom. Tom Currin’s first witness was Juanita Currin, 52, who is a registered nurse and who is director of surgical services at Duke RaPlease see CURRIN, page 12A

Third annual ‘Dream on Drafting’

Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE

Designs by Northern Vance High School drafting students Adam Daeke, Aaron Daeke, Andy Goodwin and Josh Ball of a 1952 Corbitt truck hang in McGregor Hall along with a photograph of a 1952 Corbitt truck during the “Dream on Drafting” show Thursday evening. The third annual show highlights work by students in the school’s drafting program. During the show, the school’s Jazz Band performed and refreshments were served. To view or purchase photos, visit us on the Web at www.hendersondispatch.com.

Contact the writer at awheless@hendersondispatch.com.

Index Our Hometown . . . . . 2A Business & Farm. . . . 5A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . 10A Light Side . . . . . . . . 11A Sports. . . . . . . . . . 1-4B Comics . . . . . . . . . . . 5B Classifieds. . . . . . . 6-8B

Weather Today Mostly sunny

High: 32 Low: 18

Saturday Mostly sunny

High: 33 Low: 16

Details, 3A

Deaths Henderson Tommie Anderson Jr., 51 Clifton L. Bennett, 43 Percella J. Campbell, 92 Dorothy B. Floyd, 83 Judge E. Hargrove, 62 Rome, Ga. Paul B. Hoyle, 55 Warren County Reverend W. Edwards, 81 Warrenton Rodger Arrington, 81 Sarah F. Neal, 64

Obituaries, 4A

Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE

Northern Vance drafting student Katie Childers, left, talk about her project “Winter Approach” with Ken Roll during the “Dream on Drafting” show in McGregor Hall at the H. Leslie Perry Memorial Library Thursday evening. To view or purchase photos, visit us on the Web at www.hendersondispatch.com.

Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE

A catapult design created by Northern Vance drafting student Geno Bulluck was on display during the “Dream on Drafting” show in McGregor Hall at the H. Leslie Perry Memorial Library Thursday evening. To view or purchase photos, visit us on the Web at www.hendersondispatch.com.

Lone speaker, GHS chief, boosts hospital upgrade By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer

OXFORD — Granville Health System Chief Executive Officer Lee Isley said the hospital at Oxford needs at least a $20 million expansion and upgrade in part because the emergency room is too small to meet today’s demands. “Over the last three years, we’ve increased our volume in the emergency department from

14,000 to over 18,000 patients,” Isley said. The emergency room, which dates back to 1985, was built to serve approximately 8,000 patients, Isley Isley said. Granville Health System wants to increase the emergency department from 3,200 square feet to 18,000 square feet and from five beds to 14 beds. The expansion

and upgrade would include having four observation beds, Isley added. And plans call for expanding the lobby, the laboratory and surgical services, Isley said. Plans additionally call for a new central energy plant building. Isley was the lone speaker during a Monday evening comment period of the County Commission meeting, with the comment period regarding the overall idea of the county financing $13.5 mil-

lion for the project. County Manager Brian Alligood told the commissioners that the county had not yet received a financing proposal and that plans called for meeting with the Local Government Commission (LGC). The LGC is staffed by the state treasurer’s office and has helped cities and counties with their finances since the Great Depression. Please see GHS, page 8A

Longest-serving N.C. lawmaker indicted in shooting By EMERY P. DALESIO Associated Press Writer

RALEIGH — North Carolina’s longest-serving lawmaker was indicted Thursday on a charge of shooting a former client authorities said kicked in the front door of the lawmaker’s home last summer. A grand jury on Thursday indicted state Sen. R.C. Soles,

D-Columbus, on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury. The indictment alleges Soles “unlawfully, willfully and feloni- Soles ously” shot Thomas Kyle Blackburn with a handgun on Aug. 23. Authorities have said Soles, 75,

shot Blackburn after two intruders kicked in the front door of the lawmaker’s secluded Tabor City home. Blackburn, 22, wasn’t badly hurt. Soles did not return a call seeking comment Thursday. His attorney, Joe Cheshire, said Soles “was acting in defense of himself and his home” when he shot Blackburn. The felony charge carries a

maximum of two years and seven months in prison if a defendant has no prior criminal record. The state constitution would disqualify Soles from public office if he is convicted of the felony. Soles is a Democrat who represents Columbus, Brunswick and Pender counties and has spent 41 years in the General Assembly, Please see SOLES, page 8A

From Page One

The Daily Dispatch

FIVE-DAY FORECAST FOR HENDERSON TODAY

TONIGHT

SATURDAY

Mostly Sunny

Clear

Mostly Sunny

32º

18º

33º 16º

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Sunny

Mostly Sunny

32º 18º

42º 21º

45º 25º

Almanac

Sun and Moon

Temperature

Sunrise today . . . . . .7:25 Sunset tonight . . . . .5:16 Moonrise today . . . .1:27 Moonset today . . . .12:06 Sunrise tomorrow . .7:25 Sunset tomorrow . . .5:17 Moonrise tomorrow .2:32 Moonset tomorrow .12:42

Raleigh -Durham through 6 p.m. yest. High . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Normal High . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Normal Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Record High . . . . . . . . .74 in 1946 Record Low . . . . . . . . .15 in 1988

a.m. p.m. a.m. p.m. a.m. p.m. a.m. p.m.

Moon Phases

Precipitation Yesterday . . . . . . . . . Month to date . . . . . . Normal month to date Year to date . . . . . . . . Normal year to date .

... ... .. ... ...

. . . . .

.0.00" .0.00" .0.86" .0.00" .0.86"

New 1/15

Full 1/30

First 1/23

Last 2/5

Lake Levels Elevation in feet above sea level. Data as of 7 a.m. yesterday. Lake Gaston Kerr

24-Hr. Lake Capacity Yest. Change Jordan 240 216.2 0.0 Neuse Falls 264 251.9 0.0

24-Hr. Capacity Yest. Change 203 200.2 -0.1 320 306.0 -0.2

Regional Weather Henderson 32/18

Winston-Salem Durham 33/19 30/17 Asheville 22/14

Rocky Mt. 34/20

Greensboro 31/17 Raleigh 33/19 Charlotte 32/19

Fayetteville 36/20

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

Cape Hatteras 43/28

Wilmington 39/21

Regional Cities Today

Today

Sat.

Hi/Lo Wx Hi/Lo Wx

Asheville Boone Burlington Chapel Hill Chattanooga Danville Durham Elizabeth City Elizabethton Fayetteville Goldsboro Greensboro Greenville Havelock Hendersonville

22/14 19/13 31/17 33/18 30/18 34/19 33/19 38/22 25/15 36/20 36/20 31/17 37/21 41/21 24/13

31/17 41/18 38/20 37/20 39/23 42/24 43/29 40/19 33/19 36/22 34/20 34/20 34/19 39/21 30/17

sn sn pc s mc sn sn sn sn sn sn pc mc sn mc

24/13 21/10 33/15 33/16 30/16 35/17 33/16 35/21 22/10 35/17 36/18 32/15 37/20 39/22 26/12

sn sn s s pc s s s sn s s s s s pc

High Point Jacksonville Kinston Lumberton Myrtle Beach Morehead City Nags Head New Bern Raleigh Richmond Roanoke Rapids Rocky Mount Sanford Wilmington Winston-Salem

s sn sn cl cl rs rs sn sn sn sn sn sn cl s

32/15 39/21 37/20 37/18 39/21 40/26 35/31 38/21 33/16 33/20 34/16 35/17 34/16 39/19 31/15

s s s s s s pc 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

Today’s National Map 110s 100s 90s 80s 70s 60s 50s 40s 30s 20s 10s 0s

H H

HENDERSON — Funeral services for Dorothy Dunston Burwell Floyd, 83, who died on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Gethsemane Baptist Church. Burial will follow in the Rowland Chapel Cemetery. The Rev. Michael Richardson will be officiating.

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

Cold Front

Stationary Front

Warm Front

Low Pressure

High Pressure

Yesterday’s National Extremes High: 79° in Chatsworth, Calif. Low: -36° in Havre, Mont.

XII I

II III

VIII VII VI

IV V

X IX

XII

VII

II III

VIII

Est. Aug. 12, 1914 304 S. Chestnut St. P.O. Box 908 Henderson, N.C. 27536

The Daily Dispatch (USPS 239-940) is published Tuesday through Sunday mornings, except Dec. 25, by Henderson Newspapers Inc. Periodicals postage paid at Henderson, North Carolina, 27536. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Daily Dispatch, P.O. Box 908, Henderson, N.C., 27536

How to reach us For all departments dial 252-436-2700 or fax 252-430-0125

Delivery 436-2800

circulation@hendersondispatch.com

Classified 436-2810 Advertising 436-2820 advertising@hendersondispatch.com

Newsroom 436-2830

news@hendersondispatch.com

Sports 436-2840

sports@hendersondispatch.com

Subscription rates Carrier delivery, where available Home Delivery Yearly 6 months 3 months Monthly

Dorothy B. Floyd

$150.00 $75.00 $37.50 $12.50

Mail — In State

Mail — Out-of-State Mail Sun. — In State

Yearly 6 months 3 months Monthly

$162.00 $81.00 $40.50 $13.50

$186.00 $93.00 $46.50 $15.50

We strive for 6 a.m. delivery Tuesday-Friday, and 7 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Call 436-2800 between 6 and 10 a.m. Tuesday-Friday and 7 to 11 a.m. on weekends if you do not receive your newspaper.

Yearly 6 months 3 months Monthly

$120.00 $60.00 $30.00 $10.00

Mail Sun. Out-of- State Yearly 6 months 3 months Monthly

$132.00 $66.00 $33.00 $11.00

The Associated Press (AP) is entitled to use for publication all local news published in this newspaper as well as all AP news dispatches. Member of The Audit Bureau of Circulations and the Associated Press.

The sum of $332,545 paid by Vance County in FY 2008-2009 represents premiums for health care benefits for its retired employees, according to County Manager Jerry Ayscue. He said Thursday that the county’s audit report presented to the Board of Commissioners Monday night mentioned $1,288,444 as the projected liability for the same period. According to Ayscue, the figure came from a consulting firm that specializes in placing values on future health care benefit costs. The county elected to pay its actual health care expenses in FY 2008-09 instead of the liability amount that had been projected by the consulting firm, he explained. Ayscue said the county government has always operated on a pay-as-yougo basis, and is not delinquent in paying health care insurance costs for its employees.

Correction Community Development Block Grants, not the Neighborhood Stabilization Program managed by the Kerr-Tar Council of Governments, are paying for three house-renovation bids and one demolition bid that were approved Monday night by the Vance County Board of Commissioners.

Survivors include three daughters, Catherine McKnight of Henderson, Geraldine Champion of Tobyhanna, Pa., and Emma Lassiter of Louisburg; three sons, Matthew Burwell of Abbington, Pa., Curtis Burwell of Carlisle, Pa., and Coy Floyd of Henderson; and three stepsons, Henry Floyd of Dorchester, Mass., Earl Floyd of Summerville, S.C., and James Floyd of Kittrell; five sisters, Mamie Johnson of Louisburg, Emily Pearl Toomer of New York, Irene Scarborough of Raleigh, Elizabeth Johnson of New York and Ailean Avery of Garner; two brothers, Theodore Dunston of Raleigh and John Dunston Jr. of New York; 26 grandchildren; and 21 great-grandchildren. An open visitation will be held at the Richardson Funeral Home in Louisburg today from 3 to 8 p.m. Arrangements are by Richardson Funeral Home in Louisburg.

Judge E. Hargrove HENDERSON — Judge Edward Hargrove, 62, died Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010, at his residence. He was born June 14, 1947, in Vance County and was the son of Rebecca Hargrove and the late James Edward Hargrove. At an early age, he joined Saint Andrews United Church of Christ. He attended Henderson Institute as well as North Carolina Central University. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Andrews United Church of Christ on Mulberry Street in Henderson. The Rev. C. Jerome Taylor, pastor, will officiate. Burial will follow in Elmwood Cemetery. The body will be on view one hour before the services at the church. He is survived by his wife, Rosetta Canada-Hargrove; a daughter, Mystique Olivia Hargrove; his mother, Rebecca Hargrove; and his eight siblings, Joan Foster, Jerry Hargrove, James Larry Hargrove, Judy Blue, Jerome Hargrove, Jason Hargrove, Jacqueline Hawkins and Jermaine Hargrove. Funeral arrangements are by Garnes and Toney Funeral Home.

Vehicle larcenies on rise By DISPATCH STAFF

This week’s Henderson Police Department crime alert about larcenies from vehicle was highlighted Tuesday when officers took several reports of stolen items. Time Warner Cable reported that a window in one of its pickups parked at the Cracker Barrel restaurant at 1002 Ruin Creek Road was broken around 12:45 p.m. A Dell laptop computer valued at $1,000 and a Sony digital camera valued at $200 were taken. Kalisha Moxley reported that a JVC CD player valued at $150, Quantim 12-inch speakers valued at $300 and a JBL amp valued at $150 were taken after a window in her car was broken. The car was parked at the Henderson Square shopping center. She discovered the breakin about 9:30 p.m. Lt. Irvin Robinson, the HPD’s Crime Prevention Officer, said in the alert that

reports have increaased in recent days. Some of the larcenies occurred when items were left in plain view on the seat or in the floor of a vehicle, he said. The HPD offers these tips: • Do not leave anything you value in plain view from the outside of your vehicle. • Secure all personal items in the trunk or a locked glove compartment or console compartment. • When placing items in the trunk, try to do so in an inconspicuous manner, or before arriving at your destination. • Lock the car doors. • Close all the windows, sunroof and convertible top. On trucks, make sure any rear cargo area window is closed and secured. • If you have a vehicle alarm, make sure you set it. • Park in a well lit area. • If you see suspicious persons or activity in the area of parked vehicles, call 911 and report it.

Hughes wins return of $5,000 worth of tools from ex-wife By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer

Commissioner Scott Hughes took his ex-wife and her husband to Small Claims Court in Vance County Thursday. Magistrate John Terry ruled in favor of Hughes, who had sought the return of about $5,000 worth of tools in the possession of Heather and Thomas Young of Oxford. Terry said there was no evidence that Hughes had conveyed ownership of the tools to the couple, which was

ay yd r e Ev

their contention. When he moved out of a house on David Avenue last year, Hughes told the magistrate, he had loaned the equipment to the Youngs, but gave them the utility building that contained the tools. If he had been informed back then that the items were loaned, and were not given to them, Thomas Young told the magistrate, “I would have left them on the side of the street.” Hughes and his wife were divorced in 2005. She and Thomas Young got married in 2006.

FOR OUR

WING LOVERS 3 pc

Wing Combo (includes choice of 1 side and DRINK) Cookin’ Up Down Home Cookin’ ®

Good Food • Good Service • Fair Price

ay yd

Hi/Lo Wx Hi/Lo Wx City

WARREN COUNTY — Reverend Wendell Edwards, 81, died Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010. He was born Feb. 5, 1928, in Warren County and was the son of the late Lewis and Permelia Hawkins Edwards. He was the husband of the late Beaufort Mae Edwards. At an early age, he accepted the Christian faith and joined Manson Baptist Church. After marrying his wife, he joined Coley Springs Baptist Church and was a faithful member for almost 60 years. After years of Biblical studies, he was ordained in 1971 by the Original Shiloh Association. He ministered to the residents of Warren Hills Nursing Home and his home became a rescue mission for the sick, homeless and economically destitute for many years until his health began to decline. Funeral services will be conducted on Saturday at noon at Coley Springs Missionary Baptist Church. The Rev. Carson F. Jones Jr., pastor, will officiate, and the Rev. Thurman Davis will give the eulogy. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. He is survived by five daughters, Emma Cuffee of Chesapeake, Va., Barbara Davis of Hamlet, Deborah Taylor of Warrenton, Ruby Johnson of Henderson, and Joanne Edwards of Raleigh; four sons, Wendell Edwards of Chesapeake, Va., Clyde Edwards of the home, Kenneth Edwards of McDonough, Ga., and Ricky Edwards of Warrenton; 12 grandchildren; several greatgrandchildren; and a sister, Mary Green of Atlanta, Ga. The body may be viewed today from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. at R.H. Greene Funeral Home in Warrenton. Arrangements are by R.H. Greene Funeral Home of Warrenton.

HPD CRIME ALERT

er Ev

City

DEATHS, from page four Reverend W. Edwards

Friday, January 8, 2010

444 Dabney Dr. , Henderson 492-4040 We Welcome Call In Orders Sun-Thurs 11-9, Fri-Sat 11-10

Brides & Weddings 2010

will be published on Sunday, January 31st in The Daily Dispatch. Copy deadline will be Tuesday, January 19th. Call and reserve your advertising space today.

252-436-2820

Local News

The Daily Dispatch

Friday, January 8, 2010

Deaths Tommie Anderson Jr. HENDERSON — Tommie Anderson Jr., 51, of 2705 Oxford Road in Henderson, formerly of Norlina, died Friday, Jan. 1, 2010, at Durham Regional Hospital in Durham. A memorial service will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday at Boyd’s Funeral Service Chapel in Warrenton. The Rev. John Earl Alston will officiate. He is survived by a daughter, Denna Andrea Curington of Washington, D.C.; a granddaughter; his mother, Alma Anderson of Oxford; three sistsers, Mary Williams of Waldorf, Md., Veronica Palmer and Mattie Anderson, both of Henderson; four brothers, Charles and Clyde, both of Washington, D.C., and John and Marvin, both of Norlina. Arrangements are by Boyd’s Funeral Services of Warrenton.

Rodger Arrington WARRENTON — Rodger Arrington, 81, of 474 Beaven Hunt Road, Warrenton, died Thursday, Dec. 31, 2009, at his residence. Funeral services were conducted at 1 p.m. Thursday at Spring Green Missionary Baptist Church in Warrenton. The Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Bullock officiated and burial followed in the church cemetery. He is survived by a daughter, Isabell Arrington of the home; three sons, Rodger Jr. of Staten Island, N.Y., Edward Arrington of Warrenton and Donald Arrington of Willingboro, N.J.; 13 grandchildren; 15 greatgrandchildren; four sisters, Clara Jefferson of Brooklyn, N.Y., Mary Lizzie Bullock of Warrenton, Cleophus Perry of Baltimore, Md., and Elizabeth Eaton of Philadelphia, Pa.; and a brother, Clinton Arrington of Brooklyn, N.Y. The body was on view Wednesday from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. at Boyd’s Funeral Service Chapel in

Sarah F. Neal WARRENTON — Sarah Ann Fuller Neal, 64, died Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010, at Duke University Hospital. A Warren County native, she was born April 2, 1945, to the late William Louis Fuller Sr. and Mary Anna Weaver Fuller. Her husband, Edgar “Skeeter” Neal, also preceded her in death in 2008. Mrs. Neal was employed by the U.S. Postal Service for over 31 years before her retirement in 2000. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Providence United Methodist Church by the Revs. Eric Schubert and Dudley Neal. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Warrenton. Arrangements are by Boyd’s Funeral Service of Warrenton.

Clifton L. Bennett HENDERSON — Clifton Lee Bennett, 43, died Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010, at Maria Parham Medical Center. He was born March 15, 1966, to Menville Henderson and the late William Bennett. At an early age, he joined Sandy Grove Baptist Church, where he was later baptized. He attended the Vance County public schools. Among many different jobs, he was employed with J.P. Taylor for many years and was also a handyman. Funeral services will be

Surviving Mrs. Neal are her sons, Tony and wife Nicole, and Traig and wife Ashley; her brother, William Louis Fuller Jr. and wife Eleanor; grandchildren, Amber, Anna, Carson, Connor, Cameron, Coleman and Casey Neal. Flowers will be accepted, or donations may be made to the Providence U.M.C. Cemetery Fund, c/o Linda Carter, 1976 U.S. Highway 401 South, Warrenton, N.C. 27589. The family will receive friends at Blaylock Funeral Home on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., and at other times at the home. Funeral arrangements are by Blaylock Funeral Home of Warrenton. Paid Obituary

conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday at Sandy Grove Missionary Baptist Church by the Rev. Charles Thompson Sr. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. In addition to his mother, he is survived by three brothers, Trenton Bennett, Calvin Bennett and William Bennett. The viewing will be Saturday from noon until 8 p.m. in the funeral home chapel. The family will receive friends at the residence. Funeral arrangements are by Garnes and Toney Funeral Home.

Percella J. Campbell HENDERSON — Percella Jones Campbell, 92, died Monday, Jan. 4, 2010,

$500 REWARD $500 for safe return of Dell Laptop Computer stolen from the residence of Joe Lewis on Vincent Hoyle Road or for information that leads to its recovery. All information will be considered confidential.

Please call (252) 213-0098 if you have any information.

$500 REWARD $500

Paul B. Hoyle ROME, Ga. — Paul Bennett Hoyle, age 55, was born December 18, 1954, in Alexandria, Va. He was the son of the late Milton Evans Hoyle and Paula King Hoyle Zimberg of Henderson, N.C. He was medically retired. A memorial service was held on Wednesday, December 30, 2009, at 4 p.m. in the A.S. Turner & Sons Funeral Home Chapel by Nicole Aldridge, Joe Cook, Milton Evans Hoyle, Jr., and Waring Murray, funeral director. In addition to his mother, he is survived by one son, Austin McCabe Hoyle, of Atlanta, Ga.; his stepfather, Maurice L. Zimberg, of Henderson; one brother, Milton Evans Hoyle, Jr. (Pete) of at Britthaven of Henderson. She was born on April 30, 1917, in Warrenton to the late John Jones and Ethel Fogg Jones and was the stepdaughter of Fannie Jones. Her husband was the late Alfred M. Campbell of Brooklyn, N.Y. At an early age, she accepted the Christian faith and joined Mitchell Missionary Baptist Church where she was a faithful member until her family

Bristow, Va.; one stepbrother, Leonard Michael Zimberg, of Butler, Tenn.; one step-sister, Susan Lowery, of Richmond, Va.; three uncles; four aunts all of North Carolina; and lots of nieces and nephews in both the King and Hoyle families. Paul loved and was loved by everybody he met. Paul would volunteer at churches, individuals who needed help, Coosy River Basin Initiative in Rome, Georgia with their outings. Paul was always trying to be a better person. He was taking classes at the community college in Rome, Ga. We will all miss Paul Love, Mom, Dad, Pete and Austin Paid Obituary

moved to Wise. She was educated in the Warren County public school system. Upon graduating from Wise High School, she relocated to the Bronx, N.Y., and later to Brooklyn, N.Y., where she joined Salem Missionary Baptist Church. She was employed by the New York City Department of Social Services and also earned a certificate in nutrition science from Delphi

University in Manhattan, N.Y., and was a nutrition instructor. In 1979, she and her husband relocated to North Carolina in Franklin County and she was reinstated as a member of Mitchell MBC in Louisburg. She worked in several ministries, the Pastor’s Aide and the Missionary Club until her health failed. She was preceded in death by three sisters and brothers-in-law, Magno J. Rodwell (Horce), Lalla Vee J. Davis (Joseph), and Orilla F. Goodwin (Roland P.); and five brothers and sisters-inlaw, John A. Jones (Essie), Thurston E. Jones, Willie Jones, R. Douglas Jones and Leroy Jones (Pauleen). She is survived by a sister, Emma J. Ororakuma of the home. A Homegoing Celebration will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday in Mitchell Missionary Baptist Church in Louisburg by the Rev. Dr. Daniel W. Lilly Jr. Interment will immediately follow. The viewing will be one hour before the services. Floralbearers and pallbearers will be family and friends. Funeral arrangements are by Garnes and Toney Funeral Home. Please see DEATHS, page 3A

FACING FORECLOSURE, REPOSSESSION, PINK-SLIPPED, or BEWILDERED? Bankruptcy Law May Help Chapter 13 Payments As Low As

$99 Per Month In Some Cases

PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS • Stop Foreclosures • Stop Creditor Harassment • Reduce or Stop Interest on Some Debts • Lower Your Monthly Payments

CHAPTER 7 and CHAPTER 13 PLANS

Provide Options for individuals and businesses. To learn more about your rights, call today to schedule a free initial consultation. We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code.

24 Years Experience (252) 492-7796 Call Today For Free Initial Consultation Regarding Your Financial Situation

Show off your little bundle of joy on our special

Donald D. Pergerson Brandi L. Richardson Attorneys At Law

235 Dabney Drive • Henderson

FA CE

S E PAG

Do you know a beautiful baby born in 2009? Send us a photo to include in our baby edition, which will appear Sunday, January 17th.

12 per photo *Deadline is Tuesday, $

CHLOE ELIZABETH STAINBACK March 16, 2009

January 12th

Classified Department PO Box 908 Henderson, N.C. 27536

PARENTS

Nicholas & Rebecca Stainback

GRANDPARENTS Sheila Owen & Wayne & Karen Stainback

Fill out the coupon below and mail or bring in with your payment Enclosed is $12.00. You have my permission to publish the enclosed photograph and information in The Daily Dispatch edition of 2009 Baby Faces. Boy or girl -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Baby’ Name ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Date of Birth --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Parents Name-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Grandparents -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Grandparents -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Parent’s Signature -----------------------------------------Phone -------------------------------------------------

Business & Farm

The Daily Dispatch

11,000

Dow Jones industrials

10,000 9,000

10,606.86

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP Retail Writer

8,000

+33.18 O

7,000

NEW YORK — Last-minute holiday shoppers brought 2,400 January 7, 2010 relief to the nation’s retailers, 2,200 Nasdaq handing them modest sales 2,000 composite gains for the holiday season 1,800 and prompting several to 1,600 -1.04 1,400 raise their fourth-quarter S O N D J 2,300.05 profit outlooks. High 2,301.30 Low 2,285.22 Pct. change from previous: -0.05% The improved profit picture comes because retailers 1,200 January 7, 2010 1,100 never had to resort to drastic Standard & 1,000 price-cutting after keeping 900 Poor’s 500 800 inventories lean. 700 +4.55 Still, retailers are facing 600 S O N D J 1,141.69 tough months ahead as conHigh 1,142.46 Pct. change from previous: +0.4% Low 1,131.32 sumer spending is expected to remain weak amid high SOURCE: SunGard AP unemployment and tight MARKET ROUNDUP 010710: Market charts show Dow,M S&P 500, and Currencies & etals credit. Nasdaq; stand-alone; 2c x 4 1/2 inches; “The holiday season was 96 mm x 114 mm; staff prices Thursday: NEW YORK (AP) — Key currency exdecent but nothing you can Editors: ESTper lb., London Metal AluminumPM - $1.0441 change rates Thursday: All figures as of: 5:25:04 get excited about. And it NOTE: Figures reflect market fluctuations after close; may not match other AP content Exch. was saved by a last-minute Pct. change from previous: +0.31%

Dollar vs: Yen Euro Pound Swiss franc Canadian dollar Mexican peso

Metal NY Merc Gold NY HSBC Bank US NY Merc Silver

ExchgRate 93.26 $1.4325 $1.5940 1.0331 1.0341 12.7600

Price $1133.10 $1132.00 $18.333

PvsDay 92.40 $1.4415 $1.5997 1.0281 1.0328 12.7420

PvsDay $1135.90 $1139.00 $18.163

Nonferrous NEW YORK (AP) — Spot nonferrous metal

Listed below are representative interdealer quotations at approximately 4 p.m. Thursday from the National Association of Securities Dealers. Prices do not include retail mark-up, mark-down or commission. ACS ATT Ball Corp. BankAmerica BB&T Coca-Cola CVS Duke Energy Exxon Ford General Elec. Home Depot IBM Johnson & Johnson Kennametal

60.45 27.30 51.88 16.93 27.65 56.19 33.76 16.83 69.80 11.66 16.25 29.12 129.55 63.99 28.40

High 10,612.37

Low 10,505.21

Copper -$3.4412 Cathode full plate, LME. Copper $3.4115 N.Y. Merc spot Thu Lead - $2581.00 metric ton, London Metal Exch. Zinc - $1.1872 per lb., London Metal Exch. Gold - $1130.25 Handy & Harman (only daily quote). Gold - $1133.10 troy oz., NY Merc spot Thu. Silver - $18.270 Handy & Harman (only daily quote). Silver - $18.333 troy oz., N.Y. Merc spot Thu. Platinum -$1555.00 troy oz., N.Y. (contract). Platinum -$1553.00 troy oz., N.Y. Merc spot Thu. n.q.-not quoted, n.a.-not available r-revised

2.92 7.21 23.64 3.78 60.97 20.06 60.52 39.44 4.76 53.48 53.39 17.06 3.97 22.56 48.91 31.73 53.17 53.60 29.13 4.50 77.98

surge,” said Ken Perkins, president of research firm RetailMetrics. As merchants reported results Thursday, warehouse club operator Costco Wholesale Corp., The Buckle and Children’s Place Retail Stores Inc. reported increases. Even Sears Holdings Corp., which operates Kmart and Sears, Roebuck and Co., eked out a small gain and offered fourth-quarter guidance that’s sharply above Wall Street estimates. Macy’s Inc. and Limited Brands are among retailers raising profit outlooks. Stragglers included jewelry chain Zale Corp., which reported a sharp sales decline but it said it maintained discipline in discounting. Costco said Thursday that higher gasoline prices

and a weaker dollar helped generate 9 percent gain in December. That’s above the 7.9 percent increase analysts polled by Thomson Reuters. Sears Holdings reported a 0.4 percent rise in sales at stores open at least a year for December, fueled by a 5.3 percent increase at its Kmart stores as shoppers snapped up toys, home goods and clothing. Accessories chain The BMacy’s sales rose 1.0 percent in December, a bit higher than the 0.8 percent estimate. But Limited, the operator of Victoria’s Secret and Bath and Body Works, had a two percent drop in sales at stores opened at least a year, sharper than analysts had expected. Analysts had expected a 1.5 percent decline.

Study: Calorie counts off at chains, frozen meals By MICHAEL HILL Associated Press Writer

A new study says food at popular chain restaurants and in the frozen food aisles can be more fattening than advertised. A study of meals from 10 restaurant chains including Area Stocks Ruby Tuesday and central Krispy Kreme Louisiana Pacific Lowes Lucent Tech. Pepsico Phillip Morris Procter & Gamble Progress Energy RF Micro Dev Royal Bk Can RJR Tobacco Revlon Sprint Sun Trust Universal Verizon Comm. Vulcan Wal-Mart Wells Fargo Wendy’s Establis Delhaize

Dec. retail sales: Signs of life Husqvarna

A DAY ON WALL STREET January 7, 2010

Friday, January 8, 2010

Ohio-based Wendy’s found calorie counts averaging 18 percent more than the values listed by the restaurants. Diet meals made by Lean Cuisine, Weight Watchers, Healthy Choice and others averaged 8 percent higher than the numbers on the label. The study was led by

Susan Roberts, a professor of nutrition at Tufts University, and published in the January issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Roberts says the study “raises a big issue” and that posting calories for consumers is only useful if the numbers are right.

moving to Charlotte

RALEIGH (AP) — Officials with forest and lawn equipment producer Husqvarna say the company will follow through with its earlier decision to consolidate its North American headquarters in Charlotte, thanks in part to sweeteners from North Carolina taxpayers. State officials decided Thursday to give the company up to $2.5 million if it doubles its current Charlotte work force of 160 and retains the jobs for nine years. Husqvarna decided last summer to move its North American headquarters from Augusta, Ga., to Charlotte. But state officials said the company claimed South Carolina offered nearly $11 million to move just a few miles across the state line. The Swedish parent company sold $4.9 billion worth of lawn mowers, chain saws, trimmers and other tools worldwide in 2008.

NOW IS THE TIME

WATKINS COMMUNITY

WATKINS VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT

to switch and save on your auto insurance.

Will Hold Its Annual Meeting Saturday, January 16, 2010 At 7:00 pm At The Fire Department

Ray Pegram, Jr.

CALL TODAY

to see how much you can save.

Henderson

438-8373 Henderson

430-1126

All members of the community are urged to attend this meeting.

Products underwritten by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Affiliated Companies. Home Office: Columbus, OH 43215. Subject to underwriting guidelines, review, and approval. Products and discounts not available to all persons in all states. Nationwide, Nationwide Insurance, the Nationwide framemark and On Your Side are federally registered service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. © 2009-2010

AD SPECS

Furniture OutletNITInc Kerr Lake Henderson 410 South Garnett St. • Henderson Glassworks (252) 430-6115 (252) 492-6423

IO # Publication Market Ad Size Headline 1st Insertion

3369-1 Henderson Daily Dispatch ENC 2c x 3 (3.25” x 3”) NIT 1/2010

www.hendersonfurnitureoutlet.com Hours 8am-8pm - Financing Avaliable • Visa/Mastercard/Discover

automotive • commercial • residential

insurance claim specialists! Product and labor Warranties! uncompromised Quality service! over 24 Year installations experience!

24 Hour Emergency Board-up Service, we are always available to help! • auto glass - mobile or shop installation • Windshield repair • Patio doors • mirrors • insulated Glass units • commercial storefronts • Baquacil distributor for Pool and spa chemicals • Free Water testing • custom cut Furniture Glass • storm Windows and doors • Heavy equipment Glass replacement

Lottery Tickeret!s! Sold He

Finally A Furniture Store with Quality Furniture at Affordable Prices!

Formerly Millennium Glass of Oxford

Phone: (252) 492-6423 Fax: (252) 492-6170 Email: kerrlakeglassworks@gmail.com Website: www.kerrlakeglassworks.com convenient location: exit 220, i85 Henderson, nc 256 Flemingtown road, Henderson, nc 27537

Affordable & Good Quality

Public Records

The Daily Dispatch

Marine charged in weekend shooting outside N.C. bar CAMP LEJEUNE (AP) — Authorities say a Marine combat veteran is charged with shooting a man outside a restaurant near Camp Lejeune. The Marine Corps said Thursday that 28-year-old Sgt. Michael Haridat of the Bronx, N.Y., is charged in an early Sunday shooting in Jacksonville that injured three people. He also faces marijuana drug charges. The Daily News of Jacksonville reported that Hari-

dat was charged Wednesday with assault with a deadly weapon. He is accused of shooting 29-year-old Christian Onate in the parking lot of Las Maracas. Two other men were shot. One was in critical condition. Marine officials said Haridat, a rifleman, has been deployed to Iraq twice in two years. He last returned in October. Haridat was in the Onslow County jail. It was unclear if he had a lawyer.

Soldier accused of murder of woman won’t face execution FAYETTEVILLE (AP) — Prosecutors say a U.S. Army sergeant accused of killing a pregnant soldier will not face the death penalty if convicted. The Fayetteville Observer reports Thursday that prosecutors determined the murder of 23-year-old Spc. Megan Touma of Cold Spring, Ky., did not warrant capital punishment. Sgt. Edgar Patino of Hope Mills is charged with first-degree murder. He

was arrested in July 2008, a month after Touma was found dead in a bathtub in a Fayetteville motel. She was seven months pregnant and had been at Fort Bragg for less than two weeks. Lawyers plan to meet Friday to discuss Patino’s bond. He is being held in the Cumberland jail. Authorities say Patino and Touma had been stationed together in Germany. He has admitted being the father of her unborn baby.

Friday, January 8, 2010

HENDERSON POLICE DEPARTMENT Arrests • Michael Deneal Dailes, 29, of 911 Bridgers St. was arrested Jan. 4. Misdemeanor larceny. Misdemeanor simple assault/ assault on a female, 2 counts. Misdemeanor resisting a public officer. Secured bond was set at $2,000. Court date Jan. 25. • Nyporsheka Hargrove, 16, of 1305 Dorsey Ave. was arrested Jan. 5. Misdemeanor shoplifting. Secured bond was set at $500. Court date Jan. 25. • Roy Lee Burt, 29, of 1015 Lehman St. was served with an order for arrest. Misdemeanor failure to appear on charge of driving while impaired. No bond listed. Court date Jan. 11. • Jermaine Marcel Bullock, 23, of 4381 Warrenton Road was served Jan. 5 with an order for arrest. Failure to appear. Secured bond was set at $7,600. Court date Jan. 25. • Robert Thomas Bullock, 19,

of 141 First St. was arrested Jan. 5. Misdemeanor aid and abet larceny. Misdemeanor simple assault. Secured bond was set at $1,000. Court date Jan. 25. • Tabatha Pendergrass, 21, of 510 Corbitt Road was served Jan. 5 with a criminal summons. Communicating threats. Court date Jan. 12. • Justin Ross Warring, 21, of 479 Red Clay Lane was arrested Jan. 6. Misdemeanor shoplifting. Unsecured bond was set at $500. Court date Jan. 25.

Larceny • Daphne Thorpe, 45, of 1011 Gay St. reported Jan. 5 the theft from the residence of the following items and their values: HP laptop computer, $2,800; 2 women’s rings, $1,000; .38-caliber revolver, $800; RCA DVD/ VCR player, $600; and girls’ sneakers, $800. Damage to girls’ clothing estimated at $400.

Wester Insurance Agency 1020 S. Garnett St. • Henderson, NC 27536

1020 S. Garnett St. • Henderson, NC 27536

Skip Satterwhite

Account Executive

Phone: 252-438-8165 Account Executive Fax: 252-438-6640

Phone: 252-438-8165 • Fax: 252-438-6640

skipsatterwhite@ncol.net Cell: 919-522-3825 www.westerinsurance.com

skipsatterwhite@ncol.net • www.westerinsurance.com

• Shaquon Jones, 19, of 524 Grant St. reported Jan. 5 the theft from the residence of 3 Playstation controllers valued at $600 and 3 Playstation games valued at $150. • Kalisha Moxley, 29, of 1374 Ruin Creek Road reported Jan. 5 the theft from a vehicle of a JVC CD player valued at $150; 12inch Quantim speakers valued at $300; and JBL amp valued at $150. • Garland Wayne Smith Jr., 41, of 4145 Middle Road, Trenton, N.J., reported Jan. 5 the theft from a vehicle of an Acre laptop computer valued at $600. • Time Warner Cable, 7702 Kelley Court, Raleigh, reported Jan. 5 the theft from a vehicle of a Dell laptop computer valued at $1,000 and a Sony digital camera valued at $200. • Akeen Plummer, 29, of 138 Booth Ave. reported Jan. 5 the theft from a vehicle of a Pioneer stereo/CD player valued at $200 and a Boost mobile prepay

phone valued at $189. • Wilson Eugene Sawyer, 53, of 656 Walter Bowen Road reported Jan. 6 the theft from a vehicle of a GPS valued at $640, a flashlight valued at $20, and a Motorola cell phone valued at $250. Damage to driver side window estimated at $500. • Walmart, 200 N. Cooper Drive reported Jan. 6 the theft of a Panasonic 46-inch plasma TV valued at $698.

FREE

DirecTV® System Up to 4 Receivers Standard Installation Included! Northside Electronics 159 N. Cooper Drive, Henderson, NC 27536

252-492-6544

1020 S. Garnett St. • Henderson, NC 27536

Run Your Card Here Twice $ A Month For Only 20 Skip Satterwhite Account Executive

Phone: 252-438-8165 • Fax: 252-438-6640 Cell: 919-522-3825

skipsatterwhite@ncol.net • www.westerinsurance.com

Untitled 1 - Page

1 - Composite

Untitled 1 - Page

1 - Composite

Need a New Toyota or a Nice Pre-Owned Vehicle??

Direct Line: 919/22 9-2041 20 Gatekeeper Drive Youngsville, N.C. 27 596 Office: 919-229-2010 Mobile: 252/767-63 95 Direct Fax: 919/595 -5863 Anne Pettit Email: apettit@fmrea lty.com Broker Associate www.apettit.com

Daryl Hall Cell (252) 213-4670 Work (252) 438-2181 Cell (2 21yo3-ta4670 W 20525)To (2er 52so ) 43 Lane, or 2181 Heknd n, 8NC

LEWIS ELECTRIC

OF O

XFORD, INC. Residential and Co mmercial Wiring Wiring Today for Tomorrow

912 Williamsbor o Street PO Box 545 Oxford, NC 27565 Phone: 919-69 3-6615 Fax: 919-693-1933

NO JOB TOO SM

ALL

205 Toyota La

ne • Henders

on, NC 438-

2181

Reserve Your Space Call 252-436-2810

Public Records

The Daily Dispatch

Friday, January 8, 2010

VANCE COUNTY SHEFIFFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OFFICE 22, of 239 Morgan Road was served Jan. 5 with an order for arrest. Misdemeanor larceny. Secured bond was set at $500. Court date March 31. â&#x20AC;˘ Gregory L. Shipman, 42, of 54 Summer Lake Lane was arrested Jan. 5. Misdemeanor protective order violation. Domestic bond. Court date Jan. 26. â&#x20AC;˘ Andrew Jamal Davis, 18, of 1607 Nicholas st. was arrested Jan. 5. Misdemeanor assault on a government official/employee. Secured bond was set at $1,000. Court date Jan. 26. â&#x20AC;˘ Deborah Lynn Young, 41, of 200 Pepper Lane was served Jan. 5 with an order for arrest. Misdemeanor failure to appear on charge of no operatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s license. Secured bond was set at $800. Court date Feb. 8. â&#x20AC;˘ Michael B. Hemessey, 33, of 1295 Oakridge Church Road, Kittrell, was served Jan. 5 with an order for arrest. Misdemeanor failure to appear on a charge of failing to comply with child

Arrests â&#x20AC;˘ Bobby Hicks Jr., 28, of 1515 Club Pond road was served Jan. 5 with an order for arrest. Misdemeanor failure to appear on charge of driving while license revoked. Secured bond was set at $3,000. Court date Jan. 12. â&#x20AC;˘ Amy Lee Edwards, 23, of D&G Lane was served Jan. 5 with an order for arrest. Misdemeanor failure to appear on shoplifting charge. Secured bond was set at $300. Court date Jan. 25. â&#x20AC;˘ Joey Daniel Gibson, 30, of 1441 Old Epsom Road was served Jan. 5 with an order for arrest. Misdemeanor failure to appear on speeding charge. Misdemeanor failure to appear on charge of driving while license revoked, 2 counts. Secured bond was set at $1,500. Court date Feb. 9. â&#x20AC;˘ Elizabeth Irene Campbell,

support. Secured bond was set at $1,032. Court date Jan. 13. â&#x20AC;˘ Michael Deneal Dailes, 29, of 911 Bridgers St. was arrested Jan. 4. Felony possession of a firearm by a felon. Felony larceny of a firearm. Secured bond was set at $40,000. Court date Jan. 25. â&#x20AC;˘ Jasper Alston Jr., 39, of 536 Abbott Road Lot 2 was arrested Jan. 4. Misdemeanor failure to appear on charge of driving while license revoked. Misdemeanor simple worthless check. Secured bond was set at $1,700. Court dates Jan. 25 and Feb. 16. â&#x20AC;˘ Joey Allen Gupton, 25, of 822 Eastside Drive was arrested Dec. 30. Misdemeanor uttering a forged instrument, 2 counts. Secured bond was set at $5,000. Court date Jan. 11. â&#x20AC;˘ James Thomas Holden Jr., 33, of 111 S. Pinkston St. was served Jan. 6 with an order for arrest. Misdemeanor failure to appear on charge of failure to

comply with child support. Misdemeanor failure to appear on charge of driving while license revoked. Secured bond was set at $2,000. Court date Jan. 13. â&#x20AC;˘ James Reginald Wooden, 28, of 82 Willow Creek Run was served Jan. 6 with an order for arrest. Misdemeanor failure to appear on charge of driving while impaired. Secured bond was set at $1,000. Court date Feb. 22. â&#x20AC;˘ Tederal Monroe Harris, 33, of 292 Deer Chase Lane was served Jan. 6 with an order for arrest. Misdemeanor failure to appear on charges of assault of a female and driving while license revoked. Secured bond was set at $4,900. Court date Feb. 2. â&#x20AC;˘ Clarence M. Wilkins, 50, of 200 E. River Road was served Jan. 6 with an order for arrest. Failure to appear on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, operating a vehicle with no insurance and expired/no

Easy Money

Subscribe to The Daily Dispatch and you will save time and money Call 436-2800

registration. Bond was set at $6,000. Court date Feb. 4. â&#x20AC;˘ Alfreda Seward, 43, of 188 Holly road, Middleburg, was arrested Jan. 6. Misdemeanor simple assault. Unsecured bond was set at $500. Court date Jan. 25. â&#x20AC;˘ Franklin Reavis, 33, of 207 Brodie Road was served Jan. 6 with a criminal summons. Misdemeanor assault to inflict serious injury. Court date Jan. 12. â&#x20AC;˘ Shenita Hart, 24, of 415 Birch St. was served Jan. 65 with a criminal summons. Misdemeanor threatening phone call. Court date Jan. 25. â&#x20AC;˘ Michael Kevin Ayscue II, 22, of 331 Vincent Hoyle Road was served Jan. 6 with a criminal summons. Misdemeanor failure to return rental property. No bond. Court date Feb. 5.

Larceny â&#x20AC;˘ Sandra Remes, 38, of 1065

Quality Coverage

Artistic Director

Cindy Clark,

from the most trusted health insurer in North Carolina1

NBCT

Call me for information on:

SPRING CLASSES

Singing & Movement, Musical Theater, Group Voice, Classical Repertoire & Sight Singing

SUMMER SHOW CHOIR CAMPS

Allison Cooper Road reported Jan. 5 the theft from the residence of a coin bank valued at $250, gold necklace valued at $200 and other jewelry and computer monitor, no values listed. â&#x20AC;˘ Daniel Neal, 31, of 440 Melinda Lane reported Jan. 5 the theft from the residence of a 20-inch Visio flat screen TV valued at $350 and a 22-inch Sanyo flat screen TV valued at $400. Damage to a window estimated at $70. â&#x20AC;˘ David King III, 45, of 1518 St. Andrews Church Road reported Jan. 6 the theft from a vehicle of a .38-caliber Tauras stainless steel gun valued at $250. â&#x20AC;˘ Sherese Annette Batchelor, 27, of 252 New Bethel Church Road Lot 17 reported the theft from the residence of a 42-inch Visio flat screen TV valued at $750. Damage to a window and door estimated at $150.

Authorized Agent

DEBBIE KINTON (252) 438-2635

â&#x20AC;˘ Individual Health Plans

â&#x20AC;˘ Medicare Supplement Insurance

â&#x20AC;˘ Dental Plans for Individuals

â&#x20AC;˘ Health Savings Accounts

debbie@cmiins.com

June and July Sessions

For more information & registration forms:

www.StonecrestStudios.comĂ&#x160;UĂ&#x160;Â&#x2122;ÂŁÂ&#x2122;Â&#x2021;Ă&#x2C6;Ă¤Ă&#x17D;Â&#x2021;Ă&#x2021;Ă&#x201C;Â&#x2122;Ă&#x2021;

1 Catevo Brand Study, February 2008. An independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. U2082l, 8/09

Run Your Card Here Twice $ A Month For Only 20 DISABILITY CLAIMANT CONSULTANTS

Robert A. Davis, PhD

Are you Disabled? Have Your Social Se curity Disability Benefits Been DENIED DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T GIVE UP ! I CAN HELP YO ? U NOW! 52

3 S. Chestnut St.,

Henderson, NC 27 536 (252) 492-8715 robertadavis@davisdisab ilty.com www.davisdi sabilty.com â&#x20AC;&#x153;Help You Can Co unt Onâ&#x20AC;?

' ) &4 #!2$

$ phone 919.693-17 30 fax 919.693.6540

6ALID ON NEW AG

REEMENTS ONLY s 3

OME RESTRICTIONS

APPLY

Hal Muetzel owner

Come By or Call Sally Vaughan To day.

212 Granville Corne rs Oxford, NC 27565

2ALEIGH 2D

(

www.expresspros

.com

ENDERSON .# s

BUYING OR SELLING? CA LL M

(ELPING 9O IS WHAT WE DO BESU T

LL ME!

-IKIE 7IMBROW

Ă&#x2020;

!UTO s (OME s ,IFE

s (EALTH

!GENT

53 (YWAY (ENDERSON .# -)+)% 7)-"2/7 .# &").3 #/-

EQUAL HOUSING

Country Knolls Realty,

232 Dabney Drive, Suite Inc. Henderson, NC 27536 A

SFBLI COM s NCFBINS CO

donna.thompson1@centur

y21.com

Add a touch of sophis tication to your spec ial event with

JUST FRIENDS

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Band for all Occa JAZZ

STANDARDS P.O. Box 304 (252) 572-4451

OPPORTU NITY

sionsâ&#x20AC;? SWING

CLASSIC R&B Henderson, NC 2753 JFofNC@gmail.com6

Jesus Christ is the ligh t that lighteth every man tha cometh into the world t . Ma loves darkness rather tha n light because their dee n ds are evil. The god of this wo has blinded the mind of rld the that believe not and reje m the light as the jews did ct . his blood be upon us and Let children and so GOD our did and does now.

Donna Thompson (252) 430-9410

To request a FREE copy of this study in detai l write to: JESUSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; WORD is TRUTH 45 Faulkner Town Road Henderson, NC 27537

Reserve Your Space Call 252-436-2810

Your Home Improvement & Maintenance Solution 24 Hour Emergency Service #ARPENTRY s Plum bi %LECTRICAL s &REE %S ng TIMATES Kevin Cowgill 279 Bluegrass Dr. Warrenton, NC 2758 9 Phone: 252-257-30 07 Cell: 434-572-5703 cowgill.kevin@yah oo.com

Local News

The Daily Dispatch

Friday, January 8, 2010

SOLES, from page one the last 22 years in the Senate. He said last week he won’t seek re-election this year to another term. Attorney General Roy Cooper’s office is handling Soles’ prosecution after the local district attorney stepped aside because of his long ties to the powerful lawmaker. Blackburn’s shooting was the most violent in a series of attention-grabbing confrontations between the soft-spoken, small-town attorney and a handful of former clients. Soles has called local police for help more than a dozen times in the past

two years and five different men have been charged with trespassing at Soles’ home or office. The State Bureau of Investigation has also been probing a 27-year-old man’s claim — later recanted — that Soles fondled him when he was 15. Stacey Scott later said he was high on drugs when he made the allegations to a television station. In another case, a former Soles client said he had to leap from the second floor of a house that was built with contributions from Soles, after a blaze started there in July. Police later charged the underage teen

with arson. Allen Strickland, now 18, was sentenced to prison for between six and eight months after pleading guilty on Thursday for leading Tabor City police on a chase through town that reached speeds of at least 75 mph, the Star-News of Wilmington reported. Soles has said he tries to help his neighbors and clients by giving them thousands of dollars to help them pay rent and college tuition and buy cars. Cheshire has said Soles doesn’t have a family and instead focuses on his hometown and his Senate

district, offering to help clients find jobs, places to live and drug treatment. A spokeswomen for Gov. Beverly Perdue did not immediately respond to questions about whether Soles should serve out his legislative term or resign. Senate leader Marc Basnight, D-Dare, is not asking Soles to resign, his spokeswoman said. “I don’t know much about the details of this case except that our system of justice will run its course,” Basnight said in a prepared statement. “But I do know a lot about R.C. Soles, who works harder on behalf of the

what the federal government was going to do with the health care system. “There were some conversations with some of those financing institutions to tell them that this was county-issued debt, not hospital debt, that this was a county-owned

hospital and that the county was on the hook for it and this wasn’t a freestanding hospital, per se, as a corporation,” Alligood said. “That turned the tide a little bit. They said, ‘Well, that’s good’,” Alligood said. At Alligood’s request, the

County Commission agreed to hold the public comment period open until the commission’s Jan. 19 meeting. County Finance Director Michael Felts has said Granville Health System would come up with the rest of the funding for the

little guy than anyone I have ever known.” Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, said he wouldn’t demand Soles’ resignation because the charge isn’t directly related to carrying out his duties. “As hard as this may be for a Republican who would be expected to say bad things about Democrats, it strikes me that particular offense is not connected to his legislative office,” Berger said. Associated Press writer Gary D. Robertson contributed to this story.

GHS, from page one “The reason we are behind on the financing proposal is not our fault,” Alligood said. “When it was originally sent out, all the banks that looked at it didn’t want anything to do with it because it was related to health care,” Alligood said, a reference to

project. The N.C. Division of Health Service Regulation already approved a certificate of need for the hospital, which at 1016 College St./U.S. 15. Contact the writer at bwest@hendersondispatch.com.

OFFICIAL BALLOT FOR THE 2009 “BEST OF VANCE COUNTY” 65. Best Golf Course Business _______________________ 66. Best Church Supplier Business _______________________ 67. Best Medical Wear Business _______________________

People 1. Best Contractor Name _________________________ 2. Best Electrician Name _________________________ 3. Best Pharmacist Name _________________________ 4. Best Doctor Name _________________________ 5. Best Nurse (RN, LPN) Name _________________________ Location________________________ 6. Best Medical Assistant (CNA, office assistant) Name _________________________ 7. Best Dentist Name _________________________ 8. Best Optometrist Name _________________________ 9. Best Insurance Agent Name _________________________ Business _______________________ 10. Best Waiter/Waitress Name _________________________ Restaurant ______________________ 11. Best Car Salesperson Name _________________________ 12. Best Hair Stylist Name _________________________ Salon __________________________ 13. Best Sales Team Business _______________________ 14. Best Auto Mechanic Name _________________________ Business _______________________ 15. Best Attorney Name _________________________ 16. Best Elected Official Name _________________________ 17. Best Real Estate Team Business _______________________ 18. Best Real Estate Agent Name _________________________ 19. Best Dental Hygienist Name _________________________ Office _________________________ 20. Best CPA Name _________________________ Firm __________________________ 21. Best Chiropractor Name _________________________ 22. Best Barber Name _________________________ 23. Best Veterinarian Name _________________________

Food & Drink

Your ballot automatically enters you in the 2009 “BEST OF VANCE COUNTY” SWEEPSTAKES!

2009

Goods & Services 24. Best Restaurant Business _______________________ 25. Best Caterer Business _______________________ 26. Best Roofing Co. Business _______________________ 27. Best Sign Company Business _______________________ 28. Best Nursing Home Business _______________________ 29. Best Bank Bank __________________________ 30. Best Tires Business _______________________ 31. Best Clothes Business _______________________ 32. Best Body Shop Business _______________________ 33. Best Jewelry Store Business _______________________ 34. Best Pet Services Business _______________________ 35. Best Used Cars Business _______________________ 36. Best Dry Cleaner Business _______________________ 37. Best Hair Salon Business _______________________ 38. Best Furniture Store Business _______________________ 39. Best Pest Control Business _______________________ 40. Best Gas/Service Station Business _______________________ 41. Best New Cars Business _______________________ 42. Best Cosmetics Business _______________________ 43. Best Muffler Shop Business _______________________

44. Best Florist Business _______________________ 45. Best Home Improvement Company Business _______________________ 46. Best Nursery/Garden Center Business _______________________ 47. Best Car Wash/Detail Business _______________________ 48. Best Shippers Business _______________________ 49. Best Gift Shop Business _______________________ 50. Best Funeral Services Business _______________________ 51. Best Nail Salon Business _______________________ 52. Best Barber Shop Business _______________________ 53. Best Carpet Dealer Business _______________________ 54. Best Drug Store Business _______________________ 55. Best Manufactured Homes Business _______________________ 56. Best Plumbing Company Business _______________________ 57. Best Appliance Store Business _______________________ 58. Best Electronics Store Business _______________________ 59. Best Mattress Dealer Business _______________________ 60. Best Heating & Cooling Co. Business _______________________ 61. Best Preschool or Day Care Center Business _______________________ 62. Best Print Shop Business _______________________ 63. Best Internet Provider Business _______________________ 64. Best Wireless Store Business _______________________

68. Best Mexican Food Business _______________________ 69. Best Italian Food Business _______________________ 70. Best Chinese Food Business _______________________ 71. Best Cup of Coffee Restaurant or Store ________________ 72. Best Pancake and Waffles Restaurant ______________________ 73. Best Stew Restaurant or Deli _________________ 74. Best Hot Dogs Restaurant or Grill _________________ 75. Best Hamburgers Restaurant or Grill _________________ 76. Best Barbeque Restaurant ______________________ 77. Best Fried Chicken Restaurant ______________________ 78. Best Chicken Sandwich Restaurant ______________________ 79. Best Hushpuppies Restaurant ______________________ 80. Best Fast Food Restaurant or Grill _________________ 81. Best Salad Bar/Soup Restaurant or Grill _________________ 82. Best Buffet Restaurant or Deli _________________ 83. Best Pizza Restaurant or Delivery Service ________ 84. Best Steaks Restaurant ______________________ 85. Best Seafood Restaurant ______________________ 86. Best Iced Tea Restaurant or Grill _________________ 87. Best Ice Cream Location________________________ 88. Best Milkshakes Location________________________ 89. Best Desserts Restaurant, Deli or Bakery ___________ 90. Best “Southern Style” Meal Restaurant ______________________ 91. Best Home-Cooked Breakfast Business _______________________ 92. Best Chicken Tenders Business _______________________ 93. Best Fish Sandwich Business _______________________

RULES FOR ENTRY 1. At least 50% of the questions must be answered on your ballot. 2. When voting on names, please put the first and last names and put “jr.”, “III”, etc. when applicable. 3. When voting the name of a chain (for example: Hardee’s Pizza Hut, Burger King, McDonalds, etc.) be sure to specify which location.

4. No mechanical reproductions of “answered ballots: will be accepted. 5. All answers must be applicable to Vance County for eligibility. 6. Send your completed entries to “The Best of Vance County” Retail Dept. P.O. Box 908, Henderson, N. C. 27536

7. Ballots must be received by January 25, 2010. 8. One entry per person. 9. Must be 18 years or older to participate. 10. Complete list of rules are available at The Daily Dispatch.

Name (Please Print) ________________________________________ Address____________________________ Telephone (Home) ______________________ (Day) _____________ Signature____________________________

CMYK

Nation

The Daily Dispatch

Friday, January 8, 2010

Gunman believed among four dead in St. Louis Capt. Sam Dotson said. It wasn’t clear how many shots were fired, but authorities said employees scurried to find refuge from the bullets. Names of the victims were not immediately released. Police said three of the injured were in critical condition and two were in fair condition. Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson said firefighters and paramedics were standing by in case there were additional injuries, either from the shooting itself or from seeking refuge on the roof in bitter cold. The wind chill in St. Louis dipped below zero as gusting winds whipped around 4 inches of new snowfall. Dozens of emergency vehicles circled the sprawling plant. Interstate 70 was closed for about three miles in both directions for several hours while police searched for the gunman in and around the plant. ABB Group makes power transmission and

By JIM SALTER Associated Press Writer

ST. LOUIS — The man suspected in a St. Louis workplace shooting that left four people dead and five injured is believed to be among the dead. Fire officials identified the shooter as 51-yearold Timothy Hendron of Webster Groves. Police would not release his name but said a man believed to be the gunman was found dead inside ABB Group’s plant from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The shooting began at 6:30 a.m. Thursday at the plant where the Swissowned company makes electrical transformers. Police spent hours inside the sprawling plant searching for the gunman and additional victims. The motive for the shooting isn’t clear, but Hendron was among employees of the plant who sued ABB over its retirement benefits. The trial began Tuesday in Kansas City, Mo. The federal lawsuit accused ABB and its pensionreview committee of causing their 401(k) accounts to include investment options with “unreasonable and excessive” — and undisclosed — fees and expenses. The shooting began during a shift change at the plant, which employs about 270 people. Forty to 50 employees were likely in the building at the time, police

Ex-Speaker praises GOP Chair Steel

ATLANTA (AP) — Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich is praising Michael Steele in his first year as chairman of the Republican National Committee. Gingrich, who served as speaker from 1995 to 1999, says Steele is off to a good start, citing successes in fundraising and GOP victories in governor’s races in Virginia and New Jersey. Steele came under fire earlier this week for saying he thinks Republicans have “screwed up” in the AP Photo/Jeff Roberson years since Ronald Reagan A member of the St. Louis Fire Department pushes a person on a stretcher to a waiting was president and for raisambulance outside ABB Inc. Thursday in St. Louis. Police were called to the scene after a ing doubt that the GOP can gunman with a rifle walked into the business and began shooting. win back the U.S. House in the fall elections. people. Last October, ABB said in statement that industrial automation Gingrich defended reported third-quarter the company had received equipment. The company Steele, saying he was “a earnings of more than $1 reports of the shooting. manufactures transformfan” of the chairman and billion. ers at the St. Louis site. that the party should Associated Press writers Thomas Schmidt, an ABB has operations in focus on winning elections roughly 100 countries, ABB corporate spokesman Cheryl Wittenauer and Jim Suhr contributed to this report. instead of infighting. employing about 120,000 in Zurich, Switzerland,

NOW GET 3G SMARTPHONES UNDER $100! Get America’s Largest and Most Reliable 3G Network and get a great deal on a smartphone.

Mills Cleaning Service

Yo u r C a r p e t C l e a n i n g S p e C i a l i S t S “ov e r 2 0 Y e a r S e x p e r i e n C e ” Housekeeping 10-20-30% OFF! 2 RooMs $147 3rd ROOM FREE!!! upholstery $125 set Couch & Loveseat (2 pieces)

HTC Ozone™

Gift Certificates Available

office - 252-257-2034

mobile - 252-915-0339

2008/2009 EZ-GO ST Sport

Clearance Sale!

Street Legal Carts • 6 Passenger ST Express Carts

Service all makes Batteries, rentals & accessories

Exclusive Wi-Fi capable global smartphone

NEW! BlackBerry® Curve™

BUY 1 GET 1 FREE

The features you expect. Wi-Fi you’ll love.

2499

BUY ANY BLACKBERRY, GET 1 FREE

7999

$124.99 2-yr. price – $100 mail-in rebate debit card. Add’l phone: $100 2-yr. price – $100 mail-in rebate debit card. Requires a voice plan with email feature per smartphone.

$179.99 2-yr. price – $100 mail-in rebate debit card. Free phone must be of equal or lesser value. Requires a voice plan with email feature per smartphone.

GOlf CarTS UnlimiTED, llC eZ Go DealeR anD TRojan baTTeRy DealeR

980 n. Piney Grove rd. manson, nC 27553

Telephone: (252)-456-2537 Fax: (252)-456-4177

NEW! DROID ERIS by HTC Verizon Wireless Exclusive Google Search,™ Google Maps™ and thousands of Android Market™ apps

BUY 1 GET 1 FREE

9999

$199.99 2-yr. price – $100 mail-in rebate debit card. Add’l phone: $100 2-yr. price – $100 mail-in rebate debit card. Requires a voice plan with email feature per smartphone.

All phones require new 2-yr. activation. While supplies last.

WANT MORE 3G COVERAGE THAN AT&T? THERE’S A MAP FOR THAT.

1/31/09

Verizon Wireless 3G Coverage

AT&T 3G Coverage

Switch to America’s Largest and Most Reliable 3G Network. Call 1.888.640.8776

Click verizonwireless.com

Visit any Communications Store

VERIZON WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS STORES

AUTHORIZED RETAILERS

Open 7 days a week.

93 68

BUSINESS CUSTOMERS

1-800-899-4249

PETE SMITH LUBE & TIRE, INC Two Locations to Serve You

252.431.0497

946 West Andrews Ave. Henderson, NC

APEX 720 W. Williams St. 919-367-9666 CARY Crossroads Plaza 919-859-6700 DURHAM 5319 New Hope Commons Ext. 919-419-0620 NEW! 1815 N. Point Dr. 919-477-1269 Streets at Southpoint 919-572-8900 FUQUAY VARINA1382 N. Main St. 919-552-0998 GARNER 4412 Fayetteville Rd. 919-772-3400 HENDERSON 393 Prosperity Dr. 252-438-5257

252.438.4041 134 Raleigh Rd. Henderson, NC

HABLAMOS ESPAÑOL

KNIGHTDALE 6731 Knightdale Blvd. 919-266-0116 RALEIGH 4412 Falls of the Neuse Rd. 919-872-3202 4421 Six Forks Rd. 919-785-2801 Brier Creek Shopping Ctr 919-544-4000 Triangle Town Ctr Mall Kiosk 919-855-9000 SANFORD 2807 South Horner Blvd. 919-708-5566 SMITHFIELD 1237 North Brightleaf Blvd. 919-934-0857

Equipment prices, models, rebates and return policy vary by location. Authorized Retailers may impose additional equipment related charges, including cancellation fees. HENDERSON KNR Comm 252-430-6100 LOUISBURG J & C Wireless 919-496-2851 OXFORD N Touch Wireless 919-603-0012

Visit verizonwireless.com to find a Club near you.

Activation fee/line: $35 ($25 for secondary Family SharePlan® lines w/ 2-yr. Agmts). IMPORTANT CONSUMER INFORMATION: Subject to Customer Agmt, Calling Plan, rebate form & credit approval. Up to $175 early termination fee ($350 for advanced devices) & other charges. Device capabilities: Add’l charges & conditions apply. Offers & coverage, varying by service, not available everywhere. While supplies last. Shipping charges may apply. Rebate debit card takes up to 6 weeks & expires in 12 months. All company names, trademarks, logos and copyrights not the property of Verizon Wireless are the property of their respective owners. Competitor’s coverage gathered prior to 11/09. Maps don’t guarantee coverage, contain area with no service, and generally predict outdoor coverage. Equipment, topography and environment affect service. Comparison based on square miles covered with 3G. Voice & data service available outside 3G coverage area. More recent 3G coverage may be available at verizonwireless.com/bbacoverage & wirelessatt.com/coverageviewer. DROID is a trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd. and its related companies. Used under license. Google, Google Search, Google Maps™ and Android Market are trademarks of Google, Inc. © 2010 Verizon Wireless. NGSP

CSCT-97927 Henderson Daily Dispatch-6.625X15-4C-01.08

CMYK 10A

Opinion

The Daily Dispatch

XII I

II III

VIII VII VI

IV V

X IX

XII

VII

II III

VIII

Editorial Board: James Edwards, Publisher • jedwards@hendersondispatch.com Luke Horton, Editor • lhorton@hendersondispatch.com Don Dulin, News Editor • ddulin@hendersondispatch.com 304 S. Chestnut St./P.O. Box 908 Henderson, N.C. 27536 PHONE: 436-2700/FAX: 430-0125

Daily Meditation I charge [thee] therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 2 Timothy 4:1-2

Our Opinion

Stand up and be counted We can’t move forward until you mail it back. That’s what the 2010 Census Web site says. Starting in March, Census forms will be delivered to every residence in the country. The hope is that people will take the time to answer the 10 questions on the form and mail it back. If you don’t, you can expect a Census worker to stop by to ask you those 10 questions. It may be easy to dismiss the Census as trivial, but the information gathered is anything but. Census information affects the numbers of seats North Carolina occupies in the U.S. House of Representatives. State legislative districts will also be redrawn following the 2010 Census. An accurate count is crucial if our area expects to receive the political representation it needs. North Carolina’s growth should guarantee, at the least, the same level of representation in Washington, but the state’s residents shouldn’t take chances by ignoring this opportunity to stand up and be counted. Census data also directly affects how billions per year in federal and state funding are allocated to communities like Henderson for things such as neighborhood improvements, public health, education and transportation. Local governments also use the data to determine where funding should go. Community organizations depend on this information to administer social service programs. Businesses even look at the Census information when deciding where to locate. According to U.S. Census Bureau Director Robert M. Groves, the Census is not only important, it was made mandatory by the Census Act of 1790. Back then, not participating in the Census would cost you $20. Today, not participating could cost Henderson and the surrounding region a lot more.

Quotable “CIA is a small outfit. You don’t lose this many people in one strike and not feel it acutely.” Charles Faddis, a former agency case officer, who called the Dec. 30 bombing of seven CIA employees a major strike to operations in Pakistan and Afghanistan. “It was the wrong decision actually. Closing embassies in response to a threat plays into the hands of the terrorists.” Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi after the U.S. and other Western countries temporarily closed their embassies in San’a after threats of a terrorist attack surfaced. “Although it is clear that the actions of Mr. Arenas will ultimately result in a substantial suspension, and perhaps worse, his ongoing conduct has led me to conclude that he is not currently fit to take the court in an NBA game.” Commissioner David Stern after he suspended Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas for his conduct since he admitted he brought guns to the team’s locker room.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Embers burn slowly in N.C. As the enemy hour advanced last Friday evening, Comrade and I approached the hostess stand of a local eatery — pending defeat resonating the solemn timbre of two words: “Smoking, please.” Moments later, the most handsome of smoking tools — tobacco pipes — dangled from our frowning mouths as we considered the anti-smoking bill that a few hours later would take effect. House Bill 2, effective last Saturday, prohibits smoking in all indoor areas of nearly every restaurant and bar in North Carolina. The ban prohibits smoking in enclosed areas of hotels and inns if the establishment prepares and serves food or drink. Bowling alleys and convenience stores are also included in this ban if they comply with sanitation laws for eateries. A farming community native, I’ve envisioned my late-ancestors whose formerly “at-rest” bodies have undoubtedly commenced to flipping at the legislation turned law, now forbidding the faint fog of pipe-smoke that masked both Comrade and myself during dinner only a week ago. Admittedly, I am not a proponent of secondhand smoke. Although I’ll occasionally light the likes of a pipe or cigar, I’d choose a nonsmoking dining atmosphere over the smoked-filled restaurants. Despite my tobacco-filled bloodline, a culture whose roots thread the foundation of much of the Tar Heel State, I acknowledge the danger that the leaf poses. I’ve witnessed her vicious venom, as seen through disease, most notably lung cancer. Surviving lung cancer twice, Rep. Hugh Holliman (D-Davidson) sponsored the

I agree. And preceding the newly effective law, these proponents could do just that. Prior to Jan. 2, patronage was a choice — restaurantgoers could choose whether to frequent a smoke-free or smoker-friendly restaurant. Most restaurants had already transitioned to nonsmoking facilities, allowing those who don’t smoke numerous options in most every community for a smoke-free dining atmosphere. And although some smoker-friendly restaurants remained, under no circumstance was I ever forced to dine there. This new nanny-like law annihilates the consumer’s personal freedom to choose a restaurant for its smoking preferences. Not only does this bill strip our rights of patronage, it also obliterates the business owner’s right to decide whether to

smoking ban, labeling it a public health issue and noting the risks of secondhand smoke. Rep. Holliman is correct. Yet, by passing House Bill 2, our state government Gina has threatened the Eaves public with Daily Dispatch another Columnist risk. It has endangered our personal freedom and stripped us of personal property rights. Several friends, proponents of House Bill 2, have cheered its passing. These proponents advocate their right to dine publicly, void of overwhelming secondhand smoke.

Hey, Lady Liberty... I’ve been looking for a light since Saturday! Can you help a damsel in distress?

Southern Belle on a trip from North Carolina

allow smoking or not at their respective place of business. John Hood, president of the John Locke Foundation, writes: “Private property rights are fundamental to any free society. It is incoherent to say that one enjoys freedom in a state without protection of private property rights.” Dark Bakst of the John Locke foundation writes: “If there’s so much concern that the public can’t make informed choices about secondhand smoke, which by itself is an insult to the public, then the appropriate regulatory act is to require proper notices in public places and workplaces where smoking is permitted.” It is well known and acknowledged that federal, state, and local governments can exercise considerable power in the name of “the public health.” There are many cases in history in which the government has forced citizens to comply with certain statutes in pursuit of a common good, most notably Jacobson v. Massachusetts, which determined in 1905 that state and local governments could impose reasonable statutes and force residents to take the small pox vaccine in the name of public heath. The U.S. Supreme Court gave all states police powers and effectively nullified certain individual rights to protect the many, as long as the demands were reasonable. And therein lies the problem. There is a distinct difference between small pox and smoking. Government has an obligation to protect everyone from the unchecked spread of communicable disease, indeed for the common good. It has neither the right nor the obligation to protect us from every lawful lifestyle choice made by ourselves or by others.

For liberalism, it’s hangover time A year ago this month, the air over American liberalism was thick with champagne corks. Barack Obama, the newly elected president, was poised to be inaugurated, and he in turn would inaugurate the long-prophesized new progressive era. A year later, the champagne corks are hardly flying, and if this is to be morning in America for American liberalism, it seems to have come with a pretty nasty hangover. The notion that the left is owed its turn has been, for some, an immutable law of history. For instance, Arthur Schlesinger Jr., the late activist-historian, argued in “The Cycles of American History” that every 30 years or so, America swings like a pendulum between government activism and conservatism, between emphasizing public purpose and private gain. The 1930s and the 1960s saw statism in the saddle; in the 1920s, 1950s and 1980s, markets were ascendant. Based on his (very simplistic) theory, Schlesinger predicted that the 1990s would be a new progressive decade like the 1960s and 1930s. This was a widespread hope among liberals at the end of the Reagan-Bush era. As Dennis Hopper put it in a deservedly forgotten 1990 movie, “Flashback”: “The ‘90s are going to make the ‘60s look like the ‘50s.” They were wrong, as even Schlesinger conceded. Bill Clinton might have had big ambitions when he entered office, but the failure of HillaryCare and the success of the Contract with America put an end to that. Americans didn’t want anything like a replay of the 1960s. As a result, Clinton spent most of his tenure clinging to the polls, terrified of straying too far from the political center, and the healthy tension between him and the Republican-controlled Congress led to welfare reform, tough anti-crime measures and a

reduction of the deficit. Some hoped that Al Gore would pick up the ball of idealism after Clinton dropped it. But the Florida recount settled that. In 2004, both Howard Dean, the front-runner, and John Kerry, the ultimate nominee, styled themselves as heirs to the now-overdue rebirth of Kennedy-era activism. Jonah They lost. In 2008, Goldberg liberals Tribune Media had more Services reason to hope. Obama ran the most unapologetically idealistic campaign in memory. Surely Americans were ready for some full-tilt-boogie government activism. Indeed, the polls said as much, with large numbers of Americans supporting health care reform and other liberal action items. Obama himself said that he saw himself as a Bizarro-world Reagan (or words to that effect), and he sought to usher in a left-wing version of the Reagan era three decades earlier. It was, he proclaimed, “an inflection point” in history. Newsweek’s Jonathan Alter dutifully dusted off and updated Schlesinger’s cycles theory a month before the election. You see, since the conservative era didn’t begin until the tax revolts of 1978, so — voilà! — the liberal era should begin right now with Obama. A little more than a year later, we surely have been hoing leftward. But it already seems as if the American people are sick of it. The 2009 offyear elections might not have been a repudiation of Obama, but they were definitely not an embrace of Obamaism. Meanwhile, by nearly 2 to 1, Americans say the country is on the wrong track. Obama’s approval ratings have slumped

severely. Independent voters have abandoned the Democrats. The only populist fervor out there is fueling the anti-tax, pro-limited-government “Tea Party” movement, which is now more popular than either the GOP or the Democrats. Even last spring, when anti-Wall Street fervor was justifiably high, more Americans viewed “big government” as a bigger threat to the country than “big business.” Obama’s signature domestic policy goal, health care reform, is decidedly unpopular with a majority of Americans. And a Rasmussen Reports poll last week found that 70 percent of respondents either support waterboarding the Christmas bomber suspect or are unsure whether we should. Only 30 percent subscribe to Obama’s position. And that’s after an unsuccessful terrorist attack. Whatever you make of these facts, it seems fair to say they do not amount to kindling for a prairie fire of progressive activism, even if an improving economy lifts Obama’s numbers. One possibility is that Schlesinger was right, but not in a way he or his liberal peers would like. Perhaps we do move in cycles of reform every generation or so, but reform doesn’t need to be synonymous with liberal do-goodery. Welfare reform was reform, too, even if the left hated it. And George W. Bush’s “big government conservative” activism might have infuriated the left, but that doesn’t mean normal Americans didn’t see it as government activism all the same. Or perhaps there are no laws of history, and Obama was simply wrong about being the chosen deliverer for a new progressive era. Perhaps, for all the liberal celebrating last year, the reality is that Obama fulfilled his mandate the moment he was sworn in as President Not-Bush, and it’s hangovers for as far as the eye can see.

Other Views New year’s wish for atypical politics Just a few days into a new year, and it’s already shaping up to be a defining one for the nation. 2010 has promised to bring us a couple of things that we hope aren’t at odds: a fragile recovery and a fervent political season. We’re hoping everyone keeps in mind which of those two things are more important. We’ve had our fill of the bitterly stark and uncompromising stances Democrats and Republicans have taken just last year alone on health care, energy legislation and economic stimulus. With the upcoming elections, it is expected and necessary for office seekers to outline their positions and what separates them from their opponents. But at the same time, both parties must be able to work together to successfully pull through what’s been a harsh recession. That’s why we were pleased to hear Mitch McConnell, the GOP’s leader in the U.S. Senate, offer hopeful words at the start of a year where hope seems so essential to our nation’s recovery. Rightly so, McConnell channeled optimism in his weekly address, saying that America will overcome war, recession and double-digit unemployment, that “better days are ahead.” Is it wishful thinking that partisan politics will play second fiddle to our country’s recovery? Or can we, as McConnell put it, join ranks when America’s challenges are greatest? This is the year we’ll once more put that question to the test. We’re banking on hope, not politics as usual. Rocky Mount Telegram

The Daily Dispatch

Dear Abby

News From The Light Side FRIDAY Morning / Early Afternoon 1/8/10 2 WRPX 3 WRDC BROADCAST

4 WUNC

MOVIES

VARIETY

NEWS KIDS

SPORTS

13 WRAZ

Five years ago: An Army platoon sergeant who’d ordered his soldiers to

7 AM

7:30

8 AM

8:30

9 AM

9:30 10 AM 10:30 11 AM 11:30 12 PM 12:30 1 PM

1:30