The Daily Dispatch - Saturday, January 16, 2010 by The Daily Dispatch

CMYK Webb boys, girls defeat Orange

Rebuilding Hope Ministries spreads gospel

American Profile magazine

Sports, Page 1B

Faith, Page 1C

Inside Today SATURDAY, January 16, 2010

Volume XCVI, No. 14

(252) 436-2700

www.hendersondispatch.com

Charged with rape attempt

Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE

This house at 144 Carolina Woods Drive, which is in foreclosure, is scheduled to be sold on Jan. 27.

Henderson man also accused of assaulting victim By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer

OXFORD — A 32-yearold Henderson man is being held in the Granville County Jail on $250,000 bond after the Oxford Police Department charged him with felony attempted first-degree rape. Anthony Royster, of 720 7-B Highland Ave., additionally Royster is charged with felony assault by strangulation and felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury. The alleged offenses occurred in a building in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Police Detective Sgt. Mark Blair said. Royster allegedly used a sharp-edged instrument as the weapon and allegedly used his hands to strangle the accuser, Blair said. Blair said he cannot provide additional information because an investigation is continuing. Royster, who was arrested Thursday, additionally is charged with misdemeanor unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Blair said the alleged misdemeanor offense is not connected to the alleged felony offenses. Blair said Royster is scheduled to be in District Court at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 27. Contact the writer at bwest@ hendersondispatch.com.

Index Our Hometown . . . . . 2A Business & Farm. . . . 5A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . 6A Light Side . . . . . . . . . 7A Sports. . . . . . . . . . 1-4B Faith. . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4C Comics . . . . . . . . . . . 5C Classifieds. . . . . . . 6-8C

Weather Today Partly cloudy

High: 57 Low: 39

Sunday Rain likely

High: 49 Low: 36

Details, 3A

Deaths Henderson Raymond Beck, 87 Clifton Burwell, 50 Maggie W. Lewis, 60 Warren County Henderson D. Wilson, 70

Obituaries, 4A

50 cents

Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE

Henderson firefighters Wayne Fiscus, left, and Michael Fleming spray water on the grass in front of this house Friday morning at 815 Harriett St. to keep the fire from spreading during a control-burn by the Henderson Fire Department. To view or purchase photos, visit us on the Web at www.hendersondispatch.com.

TRAINING DAY

AREA FIREFIGHTERS PRACTICE SKILLS AT CONTROL-BURN

Vance, area foreclosure filings down Tri-County bucking trend in state; only Granville rate rises By DAVID IRVINE Dail;y Dispatch Writer

Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE

Above, two chimneys are all that remain of the roof at 815 Harriett St. Below, Drewry volunteer firefighter Josh Leonard, rear, and Cokesbury volunteer firefighter Shawn Pulliam man a hose at the control burn on Harriett Street.

Cokesbury volunteer fire chief Chris Wright carries a bundle of lit straw to ignite another part of the house at 815 Harriett St. Wright is also a firefighting instructor at Vance-Granville Community College, who’s class participated in the training. The Henderson Fire Department along with area volunteer agencies participated in the burn.

Violence, education, jobs Man asks officials to join him in march for city’s youth By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer

A Henderson man told the City Council he will lead a march seeking to end violence, improve education and call attention to the need for jobs. Bryan Hargrove, who said he has a permit to march Feb. 6, asked the municipal elected officials to join him in standing up for the city’s youth. Hargrove told the council earlier this week that “I would like to see a lot more input as to what we’re doing about our kids because we’re losing them daily. “And it might not be death, but we’re losing them to the streets. And that’s something that we have to stop,” Hargrove said.

There are neighborhoods with dilapidated housing, messy grounds and “kids just hanging in the street,” Hargrove said. “We have to come up with something that we can give them. We have to give them options,” Hargrove said. “We blame them for a lot of stuff that goes on in Henderson,” Hargrove said. “And a lot of ‘em are doing things that goes on in Henderson. But, guess what we’re not doing? We’re not giving ‘em options. We’re not giving ‘em anything else to do.” “We can build jails all day, but, if we don’t give ‘em anything else, yeah, we’re going to fill ‘em up,” Hargrove added. “But, why don’t we try to do

something to try to stop them from going? Why don’t we get in the street?” The council met Monday evening. Hargrove, 46, a substitute schoolteacher, told the newspaper he will march at 11 a.m. from the corner of Dabney Drive and Garnett Street to Henderson Middle School, 219 Charles St. Also on Monday evening, local governmental watchdog Lewis Edwards presented the council a letter opposing the municipal government’s support for the proposed sewer line from the Zeb Vance High School campus to Kittrell. Edwards, in the letter, said

WILTON — A 54-year-old Youngsville woman died as a result of a head-on collision with a tractor-trailer on N.C. 56 near Walters Road in the southeastern part of Granville County, the state Highway Patrol said. Valerie Ann Hyers, of 35 Williamston Ridge Drive, was driving a 2008 Kia car west on N.C. 56 when she crossed the center line and hit an eastbound

1999 Freightliner being driven by Melvin Clyde Lefler II, 39, the patrol said. The car being driven by Hyers went off the pavement and to the right, the patrol said. The tractor-trailer being driven by Lefler crossed the center line, striking a westbound 2003 GMC car being driven by Brian Andrew McRee, 42, the patrol said. The GMC car came to rest on the shoulder, the patrol said. Lefler, of 160 Happy Lake

Please see FORECLOSURE, page 3A

Firearms violation charged to city man By DISPATCH STAFF

Road, Rockwell, was taken to Granville Health System with minor injuries. McRee, of 528 W. River Road, Louisburg, was unharmed. The wreck happened at 6:31 a.m. Thursday on the two-lane route and Trooper C.E. Lloyd responded. The death of Hyers was the first fatality on a route in Granville County this year.

A 27-year-old Henderson man has been arrested by officers of the Henderson Police Department Criminal Investigations Division and agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Police said Johnnie Lewis was taken into custody Wednesday on an outstanding federal indictment. He is being held without bond on federal charges of posLewis session of a firearm by a convicted felon, pending proceedings in federal court. Lewis, whose case was taken over by the ATF, was charged on July 7 with robbery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Send comments to the newspaper at news@hendersondispatch.com.

Send comments to news@hendersondispatch.com.

Please see VIOLENCE, page 3A

Woman, 54, dies in head-on crash By DISPATCH STAFF

Foreclosure filings on homes in North Carolina rose 17 percent between 2008 and 2009. However, Vance County and its neighboring counties are bucking the trend. Foreclosure filings in Vance County declined by 11 percent and in Warren County by 9 percent. Foreclosure filings in Granville County rose 4 percent, still considerably below the state rate. A foreclosure filing only means that the foreclosure process has begun. It does not necessarily mean that the homeowner will lose the house. During the process the owner may take any of several actions to avoid losing the home — by refinancing, by coming up with the necessary cash or by selling the house and paying off the mortgage. But the number of foreclosure listings may provide a rough barometer of the economic health of an area. A total of 63,341 foreclosure filings in the state’s courts occurred in 2009, compared with 53,960 in 2008. In the three-county area, the number of 2009 filings were: • Granville County — 344, up from 331 in 2008. • Vance County — 208, down from 233 in 2008. • Warren County — 70, down from 77 in 2008 . The number of foreclosure filings is related to the size of the county. To compare one area with another, the population needs to be taken into account. In North Carolina, there was one foreclosure filing for every 146 residents. The three-county area had a better record than the state as a whole. In Granville County the rate was one

Our Hometown

The Daily Dispatch

Blanket water heater and save energy

Mark It Down Today Deeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Music Barn â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Deeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Music Barn, 3101 Walters Road, Creedmoor, will be featuring The Woodruff Band at 7 p.m. For more information, call (919) 528-5878.

Sunday Warren County library â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Billy Stevens, international lecturer and musician, will appear at the Warren County Memorial Library at 3 p.m. Stevensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; performance will demonstrate how historic interactions between African Americans and European Americans shaped the evolution of American popular music. He will be the first of three speakers at the library leading up to the â&#x20AC;&#x153;New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Musicâ&#x20AC;? exhibit opening May 1. The event is hosted by the Friends of the Library. Warren County MLK observance â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The sixth annual Warren County observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be held at 3:45 p.m. at the Coley Springs Missionary Baptist Church in the Afton community in Warrenton. The guest preacher will be the Rev. Dr. J. Vincent Terry Sr., pastor of Mount Peace Baptist Church in Raleigh. He will speak on the theme, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Building the Dream: Remembering His Life, Legacy and Work.â&#x20AC;? The Warren County Martin Luther King Community Choir will sing. The 2009 Martin Luther King Trailblazer Awards will also be presented. For more information, contact Larry M. Jones Jr., chairperson, at (252) 382-4180. Vance County MLK observance â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Vance County Ministerial Alliance will sponsor a Martin Luther King Jr. Day service at Spring Street Missionary Baptist Church at 4 p.m. The speaker will be the Rev. Dr. Reginald Van Stephens, who has been the pastor of White Rock Baptist Church since 1995. The public is invited to attend.

Monday King holiday luncheon â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Professionals Organized for the Betterment of the Underprivileged (POBU) will sponsor a Martin Luther King Jr. Day luncheon at noon at the Ambassador Inn and Suites on Parham Road. The speaker will be the Rev. William Clayton from St. James Baptist Church in Henderson. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for children. For more information on purchasing tickets, contact Stephanie Taylor at 492-2424 or Clara Foster at 438-7945. Granville King holiday breakfast â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Granville County Human Relations Commission and Oxford city government will sponsor its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day breakfast at 8 a.m. at Oxford Baptist Church, 147 Main St. Creedmoor Mayor Darryl Moss will be the guest speaker. Tickets are required to attend the breakfast. For ticket information, call the county administration office at (919) 693-5240. King holiday celebration â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Oxford-Granville Martin Luther King Celebration Committee will celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. at 5 p.m. at the Northern Granville Middle School Auditorium. The keynote speaker will be Judge Quon Bridges, who will speak on the theme â&#x20AC;&#x153;Never Give Up On Your Dreams.â&#x20AC;? The event will also include the reading of essays and music by local choirs. Churches and youth organizations are particularly encouraged to bring young people to the event. The public will be admitted free of charge. Granville King holiday observanceÂâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; At 7 p.m., the Granville County Interdenominational Conference will host its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day worship service at First Baptist Church off Granville Street. Irving Joyner, assistant law school dean at N.C. Central University, will be the speaker. Vance King holiday breakfast â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day breakfast program will be held at 8 a.m. at Spring Street Baptist Church, 511 Orange St. The Rev. Dr. James W. Smith, pastor of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, Bahama, will be the guest speaker. Smith is a consultant for continuing legal education, a former attorney, and the author of the book â&#x20AC;&#x153;Deal By Me.â&#x20AC;? Childbirth classes â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Maria Parham Medical Center will offer Lamaze-certified childbirth classes at 6:30 p.m. at the hospital. Expectant moms who are between their fifth and eighth month of pregnancy are eligible to take the class. Participants do not have to be Vance County residents. Class size is limited and the fee is $50. Anyone who is interested in taking the course must call (252) 436-1881 to register. If you have questions about the class, please call Jackie Ross at (252) 436-1414.

When the weather is cold and energy prices are â&#x20AC;&#x153;hot,â&#x20AC;? consider blanketing the hot water heater to cool those bills. But first, a little bit about water heaters. A hot water heater is just a tank of water that is heated to a preset temperature (generally about 140 degrees Mary Helen F.). When Jones you use hot Cooperative water, it Extension is drawn from the tank and new cold water replaces it. Regardless of whether any water is used, it takes energy to keep the water hot. Energy is always escaping to the colder air that surrounds the tank. Almost all heaters have at least some minimal level of insulation to help

How effective are insulation blankets at reducing energy costs? A properly installed blanket can reduce energy loss by 25 percent to 45 percent, depending on factors such as age and location of the water heater. If you consider that the average home spends $25 or more each month for hot water, depending on the number of occupants and the fuel source, the savings will

The new year brings many things, but one of the most important is the U. S. Decennial Census. Each decade, the U. S. Census Bureau attempts to count every single person in the United States. Unfortunately, certain marginalized communities consistently get undercounted because of issues of trust, neglect and access. Often those communities are low-income communities and communities of color (primarily African American and Latino). This has a huge impact as over $400 billion each year is distributed by the federal government based on census figures through Medicaid, funding for education, community development funding, vocational training, public transit and many more federal, state and local programs.

In addition to cutting communities off from their fair share of resources, an undercount also violates individualsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and communitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; civil rights to fair and equal political representation when political district boundaries are redrawn. Community organizations in Vance County are coming together to make sure everyone is counted. Concerned residents, activists and community organizations are all invited to attend an informal planning meeting on Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. at the Vance County Senior Center. Light refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP to patricia. mosley@vance.nc.gov or averybook@southerncoalition.org or call (252) 4300257, ext. 22. The senior center is located at 126 S. Garnett St.

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252-492-6544

quickly cover the initial cost of the water heater blanket. But what about a hot water heater that is in the basement or garage? Regardless of location, a tank that is warm to the touch needs additional insulation.

drain at the bottom and the flue at the top, make sure the airflow to the burner isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t obstructed, and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t insulate the top of the tank â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the insulation is combustible and can interfere with the draft diverter.

Installation

Other tips

The blankets are easy to install. The only tools youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need are a razor knife and a tape measure. The cost is fairly modest with most running between $10 and $25. Some utility companies offer rebates or installation assistance. A note of caution about gas hot water heaters: the installation of insulating blankets or jackets on gas and oil-fired water heater tanks is more difficult than those for electric water heater tanks. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best to have a qualified plumbing and heating contractor add the insulation. If you install it yourself, read and follow the directions very carefully. Keep the jacket or blanket away from the

In addition to installing a water heater blanket, there are other things that you can do to reduce the costs of that hot shower: â&#x20AC;˘ Insulate the hot water pipes â&#x20AC;˘ Lower the tank temperature â&#x20AC;˘ Install a timer â&#x20AC;˘ Install low flow shower heads Water heater blankets are inexpensive, easy to install and efficient. Also, some utility companies sell them at discounted prices, offer rebates, and even install them at low or no cost.

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Sources: U.S. Department of Energy, www. energystar.gov, and The Dollar Stretcher.com

Tips from the Vance Co. Parenting Task Force Parenting class Are you the parent of a child 2-5 years old? If so, beginning Jan. 21, you are invited to join us at 305 Young St., Henderson, for the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Incredible Yearsâ&#x20AC;? Basic Parenting Series. Attend Thursday mornings from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or Thursday evenings from 5-7 p.m. for 15 weeks.

Contact our CLASSIFIED DEPT. about placing Happy Ads for that special someone

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â&#x20AC;˘ Classes are free. â&#x20AC;˘ A small meal will be provided. â&#x20AC;˘ Weekly opportunities to win door prizes. â&#x20AC;˘ Participants receive a certificate and a $25 gift card at the end of the series. Call Vickie Jones at 252438-8188 to register. By Vickie Jones, N.C. Cooperative Extension

Marketplace Cinema

Marketplace Shopping Center

438-9060

THE BOOK OF ELI

(R) FRIDAY: 4:45, 7:05 & 9:30PM SAT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; TUE: 1:00, 3:25, 7:00 & 9:25PM WED: 1:00, 3:25 & 7:00PM THUR: 5:00 & 7:25PM

THE LOVELY BONES (PG13) FRIDAY: 6:45 & 9:20PM SAT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; TUE: 12:45, 3:20, 6:45 & 9:20PM WED: 12:45, 3:20 & 6:45PM THUR: 5:00 & 7:30PM

THE SPY NEXT DOOR (PG)

FRIDAY: 5:10, 7:10 & 9:10PM SAT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; TUE: 11:00AM, 1:10, 3:10, 5:10, 7:10 & 9:10PM WED: 11:00AM, 1:10, 3:10, 5:10 & 7:10PM THUR: 5:10 & 7:10PM

UP IN THE AIR (R)

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OLD DOGS (PG) ALVIN & CHIPMUNKS 2 (PG) SPY NEXT DOOR (PG) Saturday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; WEdnESday 11:00am ShoWtimE SpEcial pricE $3.50 Seating limited to auditorium capacity pleaSe come early

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The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mark It Downâ&#x20AC;? calendar announces events happening in the community that are sponsored by civic organizations, nonprofit groups, government organizations and similar groups. The Daily Dispatch staff asks that items intended for inclusion in the calendar be submitted in writing at least five days in advance of the event. Please include a contact personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name and phone number in case there are questions. Items for this listing can be e-mailed to communitynews@hendersondispatch.com. Due to the overwhelming number of churches served by the Dispatch, church events cannot be listed in the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mark It Downâ&#x20AC;? calendar.

Month M th off JJanuary

keep the heat inside the tank. Newer models have more insulation. But, unless your water heaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s storage tank already has a high R-value of insulation (at least R-24), adding insulation can reduce standby heat losses. A water heater blanket is made of insulation contained in sheet plastic so that it can be attached to the water heater. Blankets are rated based on their â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Râ&#x20AC;&#x2122; value just like other insulation. A blanket with R-11 is recommended.

Jan. 26 meeting planned to ensure local residents are not left out of census count

Guidelines

SPA PAY/ NEUTER

Saturday, January 16, 2010

FRIDAY: 9:05PM SAT - TUE: 7:05 & 9:15PM WED & THUR: 7:05PM

LEAP YEAR

(PG) FRIDAY: 5:10, 7:15 & 9:20PM SAT - TUE: 3:05, 5:10, 7:15 & 9:20PM WED: 3:05, 5:10 & 7:15PM THUR: 5:10 & 7:15PM

ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS 2 (PG) FRI DAY: 5:05 & 7:05PM SAT-WED: 11AM, 1:05, 3:05 & 5:05PM THUR: 5: 05PM

AVATAR

(PG13) FRI: 5:00 & 8:00PM SAT-WED: 1:00, 4:15 & 7:30PM THUR: 6:45PM

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happy new year auction Friday, Jan. 15th at 6pm henderson auction Gallery

117 Homer St., Henderson, NC antiques ~ collectibles ~ Furniture Tools, great box lots, quality household goods 10% Buyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Premium for Cash or Check NEEd moNEy faST? Call uS Today estate Liquidations, by the piece or collection! (252) 738-2427 or (919) 961-3731 auctioneer: Steve Brigandi, NCal #8559

From Page One

The Daily Dispatch

FIVE-DAY FORECAST FOR HENDERSON TODAY

TONIGHT

SUNDAY

Rain Likely

57º

39º

49º 36º

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Partly Cloudy

Sunny

Mostly Sunny

54º 32º

54º 33º

49º 34º

Almanac

Sun and Moon

Temperature

Sunrise today . . . . . Sunset tonight . . . . Moonrise today . . . Moonset today . . . . Sunrise tomorrow . Sunset tomorrow . . Moonrise tomorrow Moonset tomorrow .

Raleigh -Durham through 6 p.m. yest. High . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Normal High . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Normal Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Record High . . . . . . . . .74 in 2007 Record Low . . . . . . . . . .9 in 1994

.7:24 .5:23 .8:06 .6:53 .7:23 .5:24 .8:34 .7:50

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" .0.05" .1.90" .0.05" .1.90"

First 1/23

New 2/13

Last 2/5

Full 1/30

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 264 251.6 0.0

24-Hr. Capacity Yest. Change 203 199.9 -0.2 320 301.8 -0.5

Regional Weather Henderson 57/39

Winston-Salem Durham 58/41 57/39 Asheville 51/38

Rocky Mt. 58/41

Greensboro 57/39 Raleigh 58/41 Charlotte 58/43

Fayetteville 59/44

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

Cape Hatteras 56/49

Wilmington 63/52

Regional Cities Today

Today

Sun.

City

Hi/Lo Wx Hi/Lo Wx City

Hi/Lo Wx Hi/Lo Wx

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

51/38 50/37 57/40 58/41 53/41 57/40 58/41 55/42 52/37 59/44 59/44 57/39 59/46 59/49 51/38

57/39 60/49 59/47 62/48 62/54 58/50 53/45 59/47 58/41 53/36 57/39 58/41 59/42 63/52 57/39

pc pc pc pc ra s pc s pc pc s pc s pc pc

45/30 42/29 47/37 50/37 50/34 45/35 50/37 58/39 44/31 58/40 58/41 46/36 58/39 62/40 45/32

ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra sh ra

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

pc pc s pc mc pc pc s pc s pc pc pc pc pc

46/36 61/40 58/40 64/35 64/40 63/42 57/41 61/41 52/38 45/35 51/38 53/39 53/39 65/40 45/36

ra sh ra ra ra sh ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra

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

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: 78° in Lake Forest, Calif. Low: -6° in Gunnison, Colo.

XII I

II III IV V

X IX

XII

VII

II III

VIII

The City Council approved amending an agreement with Gateway Community Development Corp. regarding the A.L. Harris housing development off William Street. The council previously approved the use of state Powell Bill funding to complete construction of a new street within Phase II of the project because of cost overruns resulting from unsuitable soil. The Powell Bill is the North Carolina law specifically allocating part of revenues collected on fuel sales to municipal governments for them to build and improve streets. A deed was executed with Gateway in the amount of $40,660, to be paid back to the city by June 30 of last year. Based on the final construction cost, the final amount to be paid back is $34,378. City Manager Ray Griffin said

FORECLOSURE, from page one in 166; in Vance County, one in 206; and in Warren County, one in 277. Why were the local rates better than the state rate? Mark Pearce, North Carolina deputy commissioner of Banks, said that foreclosures are greatly affected by the local economy. Asked why there was a decline in filings in the last two years, he said that there has been a shift toward approving mortgages for people with good jobs and good credit. This is a change from the middle of the decade, when sub-prime loans were pushed, resulting in unaffordable mortgage payments for some homeowners. The effect of foreclosures goes beyond the house involved. Peggy Mason, of ReMax Carriage Realty, said that when a property is listed for foreclosure, the value of properties in the neighborhood is likely to decrease. For homeowners who are having difficulty making mortgage payments, help is available. Franklin-Vance-Warren Opportunity Inc. offers a number of services for individuals having difficulty making mortgage payments. Director Bill Owen points out that the staff can represent the homeowner when negotiating with lenders. They can also access credit reports and obtain legal assistance when it is needed.

In addition, the staff can put a homeowner in contact with several state and federal programs to prevent foreclosure. Unlike commercial mortgage counseling organizations, this is a free service. The agency’s mortgage assistance program can be reached at (252) 492-4191. At the state level, the Home Protection Program helps workers who lose their jobs because of changing economic conditions, such as a plant closing. It can provide a loan of up to $ 24,000 at zero interest to pay the mortgage and related expenses. Counseling is also provided to assist the homeowner to understand the options. To qualify for a Home Protection Program loan, a recipient must be a North Carolina resident, have lost a job in the past two years due to changing economic conditions, have a mortgage on real property and have had a stable employment and credit history. The program can be reached by telephone at (919) 821-1770. Two-thirds of the counties in North Carolina saw an increase in foreclosure filings in 2009. The threecounty area fared better than some other parts of the state. However, for those homeowners who did file, these programs offer the possibility of relief.

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

Contact the writer at bwest@hendersondispatch.com.

VIOLENCE, from page one he is not interested in subsidizing the treatment of wastewater several miles from the southern Vance County town and said he believes this will result in increased costs and higher monthly bills. Edwards said he believes pumping contaminated fluid from the Tar River Basin up to the Roanoke River Basin could be a violation of federal law. Edwards also said he presented the letter to the

Vance County Commission. Supporters of the project, led by County Economic Development Commission Chairman Sam Watkins, last year sought federal funding to build the line. The supporters said they wanted to both help Kittrell Job Corps and open up land along the four-lane U.S. 1 for development. Contact the writer at bwest@ hendersondispatch.com.

8-year-old N.J. Cub Scout on terrorism watch list CLIFTON, N.J. (AP) — Travel is a hassle for an 8-year-old Cub Scout from New Jersey. That’s because Mikey Hicks shares the same name of a person who has drawn the suspicion of the Homeland Security Department. His mother tells The New York Times she sensed trouble when her son was a baby and she couldn’t get a seat for him at a Florida airport. She says airline officials explained

his name “was on the list.” He was patted down as a 2-years-old at Newark Liberty International Airport. The newspaper says the boy’s name appears to be among 13,500 on the “selectee” list, which sets off a high level of security screening. Transportation Security Administration spokesman James Fotenos says the agency will now cross-check names with birth dates and gender.

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lots owned by the city. Work began on Phase II after a half-decade-long delay during which environmental officials worked with the developer on concerns about wetlands within the subdivision. The council amended the agreement Monday, with Councilwoman Brenda Peace refraining from voting to avoid a possible conflict of interest. In other business Monday, the council approved retaining O’Brien & Gere Engineering of Raleigh at a cost of $16,260 for the continuation of the city’s sanitary sewer rehabilitation project. The council previously approved utilizing all grant funding from the N.C. Rural Economic Development Center toward the project. The Rural Center helps develop economic strategies to improve the quality of life in the state. City officials said they are ready to move ahead with building a new, redundant sewer line under Bypass U.S. 1 to increase capacity, with O’Brien & Gere to the design work.

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Gateway got caught in the nationwide housing slump and has been unable to sell any lots. Griffin said Gateway asked for repayment in four different increments as the lots are sold, with a minimum payment of $10,000 per lot to cover the debt. “They’re in the process of trying to sell one lot,” Griffin said. “And of course they cannot sell the lot until we sign off on the deed of trust. And so this is one way to try to collect the funds in a way that’s also working with them.” Councilman Michael Rainey asked why the matter was being brought to the council now, given the June 30 date. City Attorney John Zollicoffer said it was contemplated that Gateway would pay by June 30, but said the payment actually is due on demand. Griffin said, “We were just looking at it from the perspective of trying to work with the agency since we were in partnership with them in developing the subdivision to begin with.” Councilman Garry Daeke agreed, saying, “Certainly this is about homeownership.” The purpose of the project has been to have new homes on vacant

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Local & Region

The Daily Dispatch

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Deaths Clifton Burwell

Raymond Beck

HENDERSON — Clifton Burwell, 50, a Vance County native, died Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010, in Mt. Vernon, N.Y. He was born in Vance County to Charles Omega Burwell Sr. and Mishew Perry Burwell. He was educated in Vance County public schools. He attended Bowen Memorial Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon, N.Y. He worked in the Mt. Vernon School District of Westchester County. He served on the Board of Election as chairperson. He was a member of Living Together and Legal Services of Hudson Valley, White Plians, N.Y. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Hazel Burkett. He is survived by five brothers, Charles Omega Burwell Jr. of Freeport, Long Island, and Curtis Burwell, Larry Burwell and Tony Burwell, all of Henderson, and Ricky Burwell of Santa Fe, N.M.; and five sisters, Shirley Barnes, Maratha Gregory, Jacqueline Rice and Annette Johnson, all of Henderson, and Patricia Brandon of Raleigh. Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19, at Rowland Chapel Christian Church by the Rev. Larry Burwell. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Funeral arrangements are by E.C. Terry’s Funeral and Cremations.

HENDERSON — Raymond Beck, 87, of 4946 Vineyard Lane, Greenville, S.C., died Friday, Jan. 15, 2010 at Greenville Memorial Medical Center. Born in Granville County, N.C., he was the son of the late Johnnie and Mattie Byrd Beck. Mr. Beck was retired from American Brands and was a Jehovah’s Witness. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force having served during World War II. Funeral services will be held Sunday, Jan. 17, 2010, at 3 p.m. at Flowers Funeral Chapel. Entombment will follow in Sunset Gardens. Surviving are his wife, Margaret Register Beck; a daughter, Coni Ed-

Maggie W. Lewis HENDERSON — Maggie Wortham Lewis, 60, died Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010, at 309 Foxborough Pines, Henderson, after a brief illness. She was born March 2, 1949, and was the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Al William Wortham of Granville County. She received her education in the Granville County school system. She furthered her education in nursing at West Chester College in White Plains, N.Y., where she received a bachelor of arts in nursing. She worked in New York as a nurse at White Plains Hospital and Burkes rehabilitation center for six years and later moved to New Orleans where she continued working until her health declined. She is survived by a daughter, Michelle Green; two sons, Michael Wortham and Dontrell Lewis of Henderson; two grandchildren; four sisters, Mary Farrar and Elsie Wortham of New York, Brenda Wortham of Henderson, and Shirley Hester of Oxford; six brothers, Jimmy Wortham of Raleigh, Frank Wortham and Marshall Wortham, both of Oxford, Al Wortham of Nevada, and Charles and Colonel Lee Wortham, both of Henderson. She was preceded in death by two sisters, Debbie Wortham and Eunice

J. M. White Funeral Home

Woods; and two brothers, George Wortham and Eugene Wortham. The viewing will be held today from 1 to 6 p.m. in the funeral home chapel. A Homegoing Celebration will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday in the New Life Church of God in Christ in Henderson, with the Rev. Myron Henderson officiating. Pallbearers and floralbearers will be friends of the family. Arrangements are by Garnes and Toney Funeral Home of Henderson.

James A. Vincent HENDERSON — James A. Vincent, 90, of 485 Vincent Hoyle Road died Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010, at Maria Parham Medical Center. He was born Dec. 28, 1919, in Vance County to the late Moses and Sara Vincent. He is survived by two sons, James Thomas Kearney of Henderson and Kenneth Hyman of Newark, N.J. and a number of grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. A graveside funeral service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the Brookston Baptist Church cemetery in the Graystone Community, with the Rev. Walter Young delivering the eulogy. The body will be on view at Williams Funeral Home from noon to 5 p.m. today. Arrangements are by Williams Funeral Home of Henderson.

Henderson D. Wilson WARREN COUNTY — Henderson Durant “Blook” Wilson, 70, died Friday, Jan. 8, 2010, in Abington Memorial Hospital in

Member of the International Order of the Golden Rule.

Abington, Pa., following a brief illness. He was born Aug. 20, 1939, in Warren County and was the son of the late Joseph W. and Cassie Durham Wilson. At an early age, he joined the Greenwood Baptist Church. He was educated in the Warren County public school system and graduated from John R. Hawkins High School. Upon graduation, he was employed by Green’s Funeral Home. He later relocated to Philadelphia, Pa., and worked at a yarn factory from 1964 until 1968. Later, he gained employment as a heavy equipment operator until his retirement in 2005. He was a member of Child’s Memorial Baptist Church, where he served as a trustee, deacon, and member of the church choir and male chorus. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Lassie W. Wilson and Joseph H. Wilson; and a sister, Yvonne Murray. Funeral services will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Greenwood Baptist Church in Warrenton. The Rev. Eddie W. Lawrence, pastor, will officiate. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. He is survived by his brother, Maryland Wilson of Warrenton; two sisters, Vernessa Carpenter of Somerdale, N.J., and Constance Wortham of Butner. The body may be viewed today from 2 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home, and at the church on Sunday one hour prior to the service. Arrangements are by R.H. Greene Funeral Home of Warrenton.

CAMP LEJEUNE (AP) — Marines and sailors from North Carolina are boarding three ships to Haiti to support relief efforts following this week’s devastating earthquake. Officials said the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit will be deployed on the amphibious ships USS Bataan, Fort McHenry and Carter Hall on Friday. The unit is taking trucks, earthmoving equipment and water purification systems to support the disaster relief effort. Fort Bragg has already sent more than 100 soldiers to Haiti while another 800 soldiers are going Friday.

Another Senate Democrat won’t run in 2010 RALEIGH (AP) — Another long-serving Democrat in the North Carolina Senate isn’t seeking reelection this year. Budget-writer Sen. Charlie Albertson said Friday he won’t seek another term so he can spend more time with his family. The 78-year-old Duplin County Democrat said he’s tired after being in the Legislature for 22 years and wants to see if there’s something else out there that interests him. Albertson is one of the three leaders of the Senate Appropriations Committee but is best known for agriculture and environmental issues. Several powerful Senate Democrats already have announced they’re not running this year, including David Hoyle and R.C. Soles. Former Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand resigned last month and took a job running the state Parole Commission.

Texas company recalling N.C. pine nut packages RALEIGH (AP) — A Texas nut company is recalling 270 packages of pine nuts because of possible Salmonella contamination.

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Dallas-based Hines Nut Co. said Friday that it was recalling the nuts packed in eight-ounce foam trays under the Harris Teeter Farmers Market brand name. The company said it was distributed only to Harris Teeter markets in North Carolina. Consumers who purchased the product between Dec. 30 and Jan. 14 are encouraged to contact Hines Nut Co. for information on how to return the product for a refund. The company said the problem was discovered in sampling from supplier Red River Foods and that there have been no reported illnesses.

Southeastern hospital lays off 112 workers LUMBERTON (AP) — A southeastern North Carolina hospital is laying off 112 people, or 5 percent of its workforce, and says a weak economy is to blame. Multiple media outlets reported Friday that Southeastern Regional Medical Center officials said the layoff will save the facility $7.5 million. A statement from the hospital said it took the move because of declining trends in the numbers of patients seeking care, decreases in revenue and increases in expenses. It said it expects poor economic conditions to continue and that pending health care reform will cut its income. The layoffs included personnel at all levels, but hospital spokeswoman Amanda Crabtree would not elaborate on which positions were eliminated, nor was it indicated when the layoffs would take effect. Crabtree said no services for patients were cut.

Rockefeller gives million to Colonial Williamsburg WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP) — David Rockefeller is donating $1 million to help Colonial Williamsburg create an endowment for African-American history research, education and interpretation.

Colonial Williamsburg is conducting a campaign to raise $3 million, which will be combined with a $1 million National Endowment for the Humanities challenge grant to create the $4 million endowment. Colonial Williamsburg President and CEO Colin Campbell says Rockefeller’s donation will encourage others to contribute to the effort.

Two South Carolina firefighters charged with setting fires ABBEVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Two South Carolina firefighters have been arrested and accused of setting fires. The Anderson Independent-Mail reported that two Abbeville County firefighters from Honea Path were arrested Thursday afternoon and charged with arson. Thirty-year-old Jimmy Ray Brock and 24-year-old Derek Van Medlock of the Keowee Station were arrested following an investigation by the State Law Enforcement Division. Brock is charged with burning land at a location in Abbeville County in August and December. He also is charged in a 2003 structure fire. Medlock is charged with the land burnings and with a structure fire in 2006.

Crist asks feds to declare ag disaster in Fla. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Gov. Charlie Crist has asked that the federal government to declare all of Florida an agriculture disaster area due to 13 straight days of freezing weather. Crist made the request Friday in a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Such a declaration would make growers eligible for low-interest loans. It’s also a first step toward possible financial aid from Congress. Crist wrote “No sector of agriculture appears to have been spared.”

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wards, of Greer, S.C.; a grandson, Eric Edwards, and wife, Teressa; a great-grandson, Dustin Hall; and a brother, Paul Beck, of Timberlake, N.C. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by grandson, Larry Edwards Jr.; three sisters; and three brothers. The family will receive friends Sunday, from 1:30 to 2:45 p.m., at Flowers Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www. thomasmcafee.com. Memorials may be made to The Masonic Home for Children at Oxford, 600 College Street, Oxford, N.C. 27656. Local arrangements are by Flowers Funeral Home.

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Business & World

The Daily Dispatch

Area

A DAY ON WALL STREET 10,000 8,000 S

Pct. change from previous: -0.94%

High 10,709.94

2,400

Nasdaq composite

2,200 2,000 1,800 1,600

-28.75 S

High 2,322.54

Pct. change from previous: -1.24%

Jan. 15, 2010

-12.43

City workers carry an earthquake victim’s body to a truck filled with other bodies in Port-auPrince, Haiti. City workers drove a dump truck through the streets Thursday collecting the dead after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Haiti Tuesday.

Against odds, survivors found in Haiti’s rubble By ALFRED DE MONTESQUIOU and SETH BORENSTEIN Associated Press Writers

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — She had already spent three days under the rubble, and by the time rescuers pulled the woman from the crumpled home, they told her crying relatives to dump her broken body with the other corpses on the sidewalk. The family protested: She deserved better. So a Mexican rescue worker leaned over and felt 19-year-old Josyanne Petidelle’s throat. He looked up at her relatives. “She’s alive!” he shouted. Against increasingly high odds, search teams and rescue workers around Port-au-Prince found more victims still breathing under the rubble and collapsed concrete on Friday, the fourth day of recovery efforts after a devastating magnitude-7.0 quake that toppled countless homes and buildings. British firefighters pulled a 2-year-old girl from a fallen building on Friday. Seven people were freed from the Montana Hotel Thursday night and Friday — including four Americans who were up and walking soon after being hauled from the wreckage. Even an Australian

television crew got in on the rescue efforts, digging out a healthy 16-month-old girl from beneath her destroyed hillside home about 68 hours after Tuesday’s earthquake. The crew was about to film an interview when neighbors, and reporters heard the toddler’s cries. Experts say people trapped by the quake and without access to water will soon die. Petidelle was discovered amid the sad resignation and stench of rotting bodies in the downtown neighborhood of Carrefour-Feuille. Petidelle’s father, boyfriend and neighbors had dug frantically for three hours after hearing shouts from under a collapsed concrete house. When they finally reached Petidelle, they found her motionless, with her dress tattered and her skin bruised and caked in white dust. As flies buzzed around her open wounds, she kept her eyes wide open, staring without a blink. Most neighbors thought she was dead and shifted their focus to a team of Miami firefighters who’d just arrived nearby. But relatives pulled her onto a battered old mattress and carried the makeshift stretcher up the

street to a team of Israeli and Mexican medics, who were searching for dozens of students believed trapped under a flattened St. Gerard University building. “We can hear their shouts, but for now we can’t reach them,” said Louis Alva, a Mexican volunteer rescue worker whose small team only worked with shovels and bare hands on Friday. When the medics saw Petidelle on the mattress, they angrily told her relatives to take her down the road to where other corpses were lying in the dust. But her father and brother begged until one medic wearily leaned over the mattress and pressed two fingers against Petidelle’s throat. A handful of doctors and nurses flocked to the woman to drip water through her half open mouth and intube her. Petidelle eventually burst out with a loud screech of pain. Dov Maisel, a doctor who’d just arrived from Israel with the aid group Zaka, said she appeared to suffer from multiple internal injuries. One Haitian woman was found Friday near the Montana Hotel bar after a 17-hour operation by a search and rescue team from Fairfax County, Va.

N High 1,147.77

Pct. change from previous: -1.08%

1,400

Low 2,279.20

Standard & Poor’s 500 1,136.03

7,000

Low 10,561.06

Jan.15, 2010

AP Photo/Gregory Bull

Listed below are representative inter-dealer quotations at approximately 4 p.m. Friday from the National Association of Securities Dealers. Prices do not include retail mark-up, mark-down or commission.

9,000

-100.90

2,287.99

Stocks

11,000

Jan. 15, 2010

Dow Jones industrials 10,609.65

Saturday, January 16, 2010

1,200 1,100 1,000 900 800 700 600

Low 1,131.39

SOURCE: SunGard

MARKET ROUNDUP 011510: Market charts show Dow, S&P 500, and urrencies etals Nasdaq; stand-alone; 2c x 4 1/2 inches; 96 mm x 114 mm; staff Aluminum - $1.0398 per lb., London Metal NEW YORK (AP) — Key currency exEditors: All figures as of: 5:25:54 PM EDT change rates Friday: Exch. NOTE: Figures reflect market fluctuations after not match other AP content close; Coppermay -$3.3805 Cathode full plate, LME. Dollar vs: ExchgRate PvsDay Copper $3.3550 N.Y. Merc spot Fri Yen 90.90 90.98 Lead - $2450.00 metric ton, London Metal Euro $1.4358 $1.4504 Exch. Pound $1.6258 $1.6332 Zinc - $1.1303 per lb., London Metal Exch. Swiss franc 1.0277 1.0181 Gold - $1128.00 Handy & Harman (only Canadian dollar 1.0304 1.0229 daily quote). Mexican peso 12.6860 12.7210 Gold - $1130.10 troy oz., NY Merc spot Fri. Silver - $18.475 Handy & Harman (only Metal Price PvsDay daily quote). NY Merc Gold $1130.10 $1142.60 Silver - $18.411 troy oz., N.Y. Merc spot Fri. NY HSBC Bank US $1130.00 $1141.00 Platinum -$1603.00 troy oz., N.Y. (contract). NY Merc Silver $18.411 $18.643 Platinum -$1591.40 troy oz., N.Y. Merc spot Fri. Nonferrous NEW YORK (AP) — Spot nonferrous metal n.q.-not quoted, n.a.-not available r-revised prices Friday:

& M

ACS ATT Ball Corp. BankAmerica BB&T Coca-Cola CVS Duke Energy Exxon Ford General Elec. Home Depot IBM Johnson & Johnson Kennametal 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

61.90 25.79 51.41 16.26 27.76 56.29 33.91 16.90 69.11 11.60 16.44 28.57 131.78 64.56 27.80 2.99 7.39 23.13 3.72 62.29 20.42 60.82 38.93 4.28 53.36 53.81 17.44 3.82 23.39 48.48 30.58 51.16 53.68 28.08 4.65 76.92

N.C. agriculture forum to focus on ag economics, federal policy RALEIGH — The economic outlook for animal agriculture and federal policy issues will be the chief topics of discussion at the fifth annual Ag Development Forum Thursday, Feb. 4, at the state fairgrounds. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler also will deliver his annual State of Agriculture address during the forum, which will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Holshouser Building. The forum will feature two panel discussions. The first will focus on the economic state of the beef, pork, poultry and dairy industries. Panelists will be Greg Doud, chief economist with the National Cattle-

men’s Beef Association; Dr. Kelly Zering, a pork industry expert at N.C. State University’s Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics; Dr. Geoff Benson, a dairy industry expert and professor emeritus at NCSU; and Larry Haller, poultry economist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service. The second panel discussion will highlight federal policy issues. Panelists will be Dr. Joe Outlaw, codirector of the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M University; Stephanie Mercier, chief economist for the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee; and Leroy Watson, legislative director for the

National Grange. Other speakers will include Ed Luttrell, president of the National Grange, and N.C. State Grange President Jimmy Gentry. Farmers, agribusiness professionals and others interested in agricultural policy are invited to the forum. Admission is free, and lunch will be provided. Registration is requested by Jan. 25. To register, go to www.ncagr.gov/agforum or call Christina Waggett at (919) 733-7125. The forum is sponsored by the N.C. State Grange and the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. It is being held in conjunction with the Southern Farm Show at the fairgrounds.

Brides & Weddings 2010

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Saturday, January 16, 2010

Sometimes, the earth is cruel

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

Daily Meditation But this [I say], He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, [so let him give]; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

Our Opinion

Just answer the question No comment. Those may be the two mostused words when public officials speak to reporters. This is how it typically plays out. Reporter: (Insert name of public official here), why did you vote (insert how the official voted on whatever topic is at issue here)? Official: No comment, or some variation of the same. Reporter: (Insert name of public official here), why won’t you answer questions about your vote? Official: No comment. The cycle will repeat itself until the public official or the reporter walks away from the conversation. For reporters, it’s nothing new. For the public, it isn’t either. Officials have dodged questions for as long as there have been questions to dodge. But that doesn’t make it right. Earlier this week, a Daily Dispatch reporter asked new Oxford City Commissioner Calvin “C.J.” Harris Jr. about his “no” vote on the $500 tax for cyber sweepstakes machines. Harris was the lone dissenting vote on the board. Harris replied with, you guessed it, no comment. The reporter then asked Harris why he voted no on the sewer and water rate increases. Harris was one of two dissenting votes on the increases. Harris again replied with, “I don’t have any comments, thank you.” Why would a city commissioner refuse to answer questions about how he voted on matters that affect the public? After all, the public put him in office. It would stand to reason that the public deserves to know why he votes the way he does. Maybe Harris was just being careful. Maybe he was afraid he would say something that would anger or offend his constituents. Obviously, no public official is under any sort of mandate to talk to the media. If they choose to remain silent, that’s their choice. But, public officials can quickly find themselves on bad footing with voters when they refuse to answer routine questions about their votes on matters regarding the operations of government. If Harris refuses to answer questions as routine as why he voted the way he did, what can we expect from him when other issues develop and harder questions need to be answered? Let’s hope it’s not more of the same.

What’s your opinion? The Daily Dispatch welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be signed, include the author’s city of residence, and should be limited to 300 words. Please include a telephone number for verification. We reserve the right to edit comments for length, clarity, libelous material, personal attacks and poor taste. We do not publish anonymous letters, form letters, letters with names withheld or letters where we cannot verify the writer’s identity. Writers should limit themselves to one letter every 30 days. Letters can be accepted by e-mail, but city of residence and a phone number for verification purposes still must be included.

That is ultimately the fundamental lesson here, as children wail, families sleep out of doors, and the dead lie unclaimed in the rubble that once was Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Sometimes the rains fall and will not stop. Sometimes the skies turn barren and will not rain. Sometimes the seas rise and smack the shoreline like a fist. Sometimes the wind bullies the land. And sometimes, the land rattles and heaves and splits itself in two. Sometimes, the earth is cruel. And always, when it is, we do the same thing. We dig ourselves out. We weep and mourn, we recover and memorialize the dead, we rebuild our homes. And we go on. This is the price of being human. And also, arguably, the noblest expression. Sometimes, the earth is cruel, and you have no choice but to accept that as part of the bargain called life. And when it is your turn to deal with it, you do. But what if it’s always your turn? Surely some homeless, dust-streaked Haitian can be forgiven for thinking it

is always Haiti’s turn, just days after the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere saw its capital city smashed by the strongest earthquake it has ever known, a 7.0-magnitude monster. Surely, the rest of us watching from afar, experiencLeonard ing tragPitts edy and devastation Distributed by from the Cagle Cartoons comfort of desk chairs and living room couches, are tempted to believe the same thing. Bad enough, Haiti is wretchedly poor. Bad enough it has a history of political instability and colonialism, of being ignored by the major powers when it is not being exploited by them. Bad enough, all that, yet at the end of the day, those are disasters authored by human hands, by human greed, human corruption, human economic predation. Sometimes, though, you have to wonder if the

planet itself is not conspiring against this humble little nation. After 1994, when Tropical Storm Gordon killed several hundred people, after 1998, when Hurricane Georges swept away more than 500 lives, after 2004, when the rains of Hurricane Jeanne claimed more than 2,000 souls, after 2005, when Hurricane Dennis took 25 lives in July and Tropical Storm Alpha snatched 17 in October, followed by Hurricane Wilma, which stole 11 more, after the double whammy of Hurricanes Fay and Gustav in 2008 killed more than 130 people and destroyed 3,100 homes, after all that, comes this latest insult — and a death toll officials cannot begin to even imagine. Perhaps as many as 100,000, they were saying on Wednesday. Sometimes, the earth is cruel. To crawl the planet’s skin, scanning for tornadoes in Oklahoma, charting storm tracks in Florida, running from wildfires in California, is to understand this in a primal, personal way. It is to breathe a prayer that begins, “There, but for the grace of God...” It is to write relief checks, donate blood,

volunteer material and time and to fear, even in the doing, that these gestures are small against the need, inconsequential against the ache of a people whose turn seems never to end. But what else are you going to do? As the playwright put it, your arms too short to box with God. Even less have we the ability to answer the question that burns the moment: Why are the most vulnerable repeatedly assessed the highest price? We are hamstrung by our own limitations, so we can only do what we always do, only send prayers and help. And watch, staggered by the courage it takes, as Haitians do what human beings always do, the thing at which they have become so terribly practiced. Dig out. Weep and mourn. Memorialize the dead. Rebuild. Go on. And show the world once again a stubborn insistence on living, despite all the cruelties of the earth. Leonard Pitts is a columnist for the Miami Herald, 1 Herald Plaza, Miami, Fla., 33132. Readers may contact him via e-mail at lpitts@ miamiherald.com.

Letter to the Editor Commission fillet

Reassessing drought management law The drought is over. Reservoirs across North Carolina are full. With that in mind, it appears to us that the upcoming session of the General Assembly, which begins in the spring, would be a good time for the state to reassess its drought management law. Lawmakers adopted the state’s current drought management law in 2008, at a time when counties across North Carolina were in various stages of a drought or at least considered abnormally dry. Emergencies, perceived or real, don’t generally produce good environments for legislation. That was certainly the case in 2008 when the General Assembly gave the governor and the governor’s appointees broad powers to deal with droughts. We’ve mentioned before a couple of provisions in the drought law that are particularly troubling. We think they should be dealt with in any review of that law. One of the provisions gives the governor the authority to mandate that cities share water with their neighbors if the governor declares that a water shortage emergency exists. That’s an unnecessary power because the governor already had the power to order municipalities to share water if the governor declared a health emergency. Plus, most cities are good neighbors that would want to help neighboring municipalities. Many of their employees commute from one

town to another. They have family and friends who live in neighboring cities. They don’t want their family or friends to have to face the misery of living without water. Another provision allows the governor to force cities and other water authorities to implement conservation programs when an area falls within a certain drought stage. That means that a city might have to implement a conservation plan even if its reservoirs are full. That can be costly to cities and towns, particularly since many of the costs associated with water treatment are fixed. The end result could be increased water bills — a slap in the face to water customers. Another problem with the law is that it assumes that the people in Raleigh are better able to judge what’s best for communities than the local mayors or town councils. It’s not a wise way to conduct business. While water conservation is a good thing, we must ask: Who is better equipped to manage local efforts, the folks in Raleigh or the people on the scene across North Carolina? The answer is obvious. Localities are in a better position to make water policy and drought policy. Lawmakers should recognize that and revise the state’s drought management law accordingly. The Daily News of Jacksonville

2010 economic focus The year 2009 is now in the record books. It won’t be missed.

Fishermen will tell you that the best way to judge the quality of a piece of fish is to fillet the fish. Lay it open and you’ll be able to tell if you want to bake, broil, fry, or feed it to the possums. Strangely enough, we can judge local government the same way. Lay it open for all to see. Look at what it has done and we’ll be able to decide on its future. So, just what has the Vance County Commission done in the last few years? They tried to implement a county water system when nearly everyone in the county already has great water. They failed. They hired an appraiser to raise our property values when property values were dropping like a rock nationwide. They paid him nearly $500,000 for shoddy, Other Views unprofessional work. Did he or they pay a price for this failure? Nope! He got paid, The year was brutal for the commissioners got higher many families in Asheville and property values, and the around Western North Carolandowners got the shaft. lina, featuring an economic They gave our county contraction not witnessed since manager a poor performance the Great Depression. appraisal, probably the worst We enter a new decade with he’s ever had. As a result, he many signs that 2010 promises was rewarded with a raise. to be healthier than the year Is it just me, or it there gone by. Hoping for an ecoa rather disturbing pattern nomic boom would seem to be a emerging? bit premature. But it looks as if They hired a consultant to we’re at the end of the financial come in and say that governfree fall that has put so many ment workers are underpaid lives on hold. and deserve a raise. As we dig out of the economic Even if we were to include downturn, the community has creating/saving government a lot of work to do. For the jobs, keeping taxes high, past few months, the Citizenpouring thousands of dollars Times editorial board has been into the EDC, and making working to identify issues that smart business people go the newspaper and community elsewhere, they’ve done nothneed to pay close attention to ing to help our local economy. in 2010. The proof is in the pudding. The range of issues is dauntOur local economy is in ing. the toilet, factories have For example, ever since closed, businesses are closVolvo announced it was closing ing, families are leaving, its local plant and eliminating thousands have lost their more than 200 jobs that averjobs and homes, no business aged $60,000 a year, people is expanding, and no new have been wondering where businesses are opening. Of the good-paying jobs of the our only prospects, slim and future will come from. Now none, only none remains. that homes sales are beginning Slim chose another county. to pick back up, the always But all is not lost; controversial issue of moungovernment workers have tainside development will raise incredibly nice offices, shiny its head again. new cars, new radios, great Back in 2000, the Vision insurance, great paychecks, Group set a goal for Buncombe and great pensions. to be the healthiest county in They recently tried again the state by 2010. We failed. to implement a county water In 2000, six out of 10 of us system. Same plan, same weighed more than we should. leaders, same results … Today, seven of out of 10 of us failure. do. Anybody seen those posAs a community, we have a sums? lot of work to do. Al Woodruff Henderson Asheville Citizen-Times

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Today’s Birthdays: Author William Kennedy is 82. Author-editor Norman Podhoretz is 80. Opera singer Marilyn Horne is 76. Hall of Fame auto racer A.J. Foyt is 75. Singer Barbara Lynn is 68. Country singer Ronnie Milsap is 67. Country singer Jim Stafford is 66. Talk show host Dr. Laura Schlessinger is 63. Movie director John Carpenter is 62. Actressdancer-choreographer Debbie Allen is 60. Comedian Robert Schimmel is 60. Singer Sade is 51. Rock musician Paul Webb (Talk Talk) is 48. R&B singer Maxine Jones (En Vogue) is 44. Actor David Chokachi is 42. Actor Richard T. Jones is 38. Actress Josie Davis is 37. Model Kate Moss is 36. Rock musician Nick Valensi (The Strokes) is 29. Actress Yvonne Zima is 21.

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One year ago: President-elect Barack Obama made a pitch for his massive economic stimulus plan at a factory in Bedford Heights, Ohio, saying his proposal would make smart investments in the country’s future and create solid jobs in up-and-coming industries.

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