The Daily Dispatch - Saturday, January 23, 2010 by The Daily Dispatch

CMYK Northern, Webb in hoops battle

Cokesbury Methodist publishes cookbook

American Profile magazine

Sports, Page 1B

Faith, Page 1C

Inside Today SATURDAY, January 23, 2010

Volume XCVI, No. 19

(252) 436-2700

911 call leads to arrest See suspicious activity? Then notify police By DISPATCH STAFF

A 911 call led to the arrest Thursday of a Henderson man on a felony breaking and entering charge. Henderson police said that Freddaire Hargrove, 20, of 507 Hillside Hargrove Ave. is being held in the Vance County jail on a secured $10,000 bond in connection with the crime. The caller reported seeing a man break into the residence at 657 Charles St. around 7:34 a.m., police said. On arrival, officers saw a man running down Cherry Street removing items of clothing. After a short foot chase, the man was apprehended. Hargrove’s court date is Feb. 8. Henderson police encourage citizens to call 911 when they see suspicious activity in their communities. Callers may remain anonymous. Send comments to news@ 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: 46 Low: 37

Sunday Showers likely High: 60 Low: 51

Details, 3A

Deaths Henderson James A. House, 85 Sarah T. Pugh, 78 Vinso Small, 68 Kittrell James E. Winstead, 68 Oxford Evelyn W. Thompson, 78 Stem Mary S. Bowling, 84 Warrenton Edward Seward, 38 Lucille H. Thompson, 88

Obituaries, 4A

www.hendersondispatch.com

50 cents

Sheriff: Over $60,000 in bank bag Cash, checks make up tax office receipts missing since Dec. 17 By DAVID IRVINE Daily Dispatch Writer

Vance County Sheriff Peter White on Friday released additional information about a missing bank deposit bag containing receipts from the County Tax Office. In response to questions asked by The Daily Dispatch, the press release from the sheriff’s department stated: • The total amount of funds missing is $60,607.61, which

includes $7,854.65 in cash and $52,752.96 in checks. • A particular county employee, not identified by name, has served for many years as Vance the courier to hires tax deposit county administrator, funds. Page 3A • No one has been disciplined or fired as a result of the disappearance of the deposit bag, due to the ongoing investigation and facts yet to be determined.

• After the loss was discovered, security measures were immediately implemented to prevent future losses. These funds are now transported accompanied by armed security, identified as deputies. The press release states: “No other security measures can be disclosed because of safety concerns.” White indicated that additional information will be released to the extent possible as the investigation progresses.

The deposit bag was first suspected to be missing on Dec. 17, according to Vance County Manager Jerry Ayscue. It was reported to the sheriff’s department on Dec. 28. The investigation has involved questioning and administering polygraph tests to a number of people. The State Bureau of Investigation is assisting with the investigation. Contact the writer at dirvine@hendersondispatch.com.

The great snowstorm: 10 years later

Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE

A group of people use their feet to travel to a nearby convenience store as a trio of sport utility vehicles approaches in this Jan. 25, 2000, file photo. Weather forecasts on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2000, predicted a few snow flurries, but when Vance County residents awoke on that Wednesday, they found 17 inches of snow crippling the community for weeks.

Area expected flurries, not waking up to nearly two feet By DAVID IRVINE Daily Dispatch Writer

unday marks the 10th anniversary of what some Henderson residents call “the great snowstorm.” No need to say more to long-time residents. They know exactly what you’re talking about. It was that last week of January 2000. The total snowfall of 20.3 inches at Raleigh-Durham airport for the night of Jan. 24-25 set a record for the most accumulation in a single storm, as well as a record for monthly accumulation. It was only the fourth time since the middle of the 20th Century that a single snowfall at RDU exceeded 10 inches. Snowfall in Henderson was reported at the time as at least 17 inches. Vance County Emergency Management Director Brian Short said the official total

finally amounted to 22 inches. Whatever the exact amount, activity in the area skidded to a stop. Vance County had been teased with a light snowfall, sleet and freezing rain the week before. Even as the snow clouds were forming for the big one, school officials were considering how to make up the two days already lost to the weather. Their plans soon had to be modified significantly. The great snowstorm began during the afternoon of Jan. 24 and continued through the night. The heaviest snowfall amounts occurred in a strip along the North Carolina piedmont that stretched from Anson County east of Charlotte and extended northeast through Wake County and Vance County into Virginia.

Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE

A city employee uses a front end loader to clean Garnett Please see SNOWSTORM, page 3A Street at Breckenridge Street in this Jan. 25, 2000, file photo.

Vance in line for federal rural development funds By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer

The Henderson-based Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments will receive $119,942 in federal funding to expand rural and community development in Vance County. U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge, who made the announcement Friday afternoon, said Kerr-Tar was among 43 recipients in 27 states selected to receive part of more than $4 million in grants. The funding is being provided by the U.S. Department of

Agriculture’s Rural Business Enterprise Grant Program. The program helps finance new and existing businesses, as well as employment-related adult Etheridge education programs. Such funds can be used for start-up and working capital loans, building and plant renovations, transportation improvements, project planning and other business needs. “These loans mean jobs in our communities and are lifesavers

for local and rural businesses,” Etheridge said. “This announcement is good news for Vance County and puts USDA funds into communities that need them,” the congressman said Etheridge said the funding was authorized in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, better known as the Obama administration’s stimulus program to help boost the weak national economy. Etheridge, 68, is a Democrat from Lillington who was first elected to Congress in 1996. He

represents most of the southern part of Vance County. Kerr-Tar, 1724 Graham Ave., is one of 17 regional planning and development agencies in North Carolina that administer federal programs and grants and help local governments identify and meet needs that improve the quality of life. Kerr-Tar is governed by local government members in Vance, Granville, Warren, Franklin and Person counties. Contact the writer at bwest@hendersondispatch.com.

The Daily Dispatch

Our Hometown

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Mark It Down Today Blood drive — Girl Scout Troops #769 and #961 are sponsoring a blood drive in cooperation with Rex Blood Services from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church. Rex Blood Services has issued an urgent plea for Type O blood; however, all blood types are needed to build back up the blood supply after the drop in donations due to the holidays. Donors must sign up for 15-minute intervals by contacting Betty Craig at (919) 340-4444 or online at www2.mysignup.com/girlscoutsnc. HIV testing — Free HIV testing will be available at the Warren County Free Clinic, 546 W. Ridgeway St., Warrenton (behind the health department) from 9 a.m. to noon. Results will be available in 20 minutes. Free McDonald’s and Food Lion gift card will be given out while supplies last. Sponsored by the Northern Outreach Clinic/Rural Health Group. For more information, call (252) 257-1904. Dee’s Music Barn — Dee’s Music Barn, 3101 Walters Road, Creedmoor, will be featuring Ace In The Hole with James Potreat at 7 p.m. For more information, call (919) 528-5878. Ridgeway Opry House — Performing are Julia Morton, Jackie Turner, Joyce Chisenhall, Ronald Puett, Donnie Gillam, Bear White, Allen & Betsy Reid and Freida. Guest Band: The Warren County Travelers. Doors open at 6 p.m. Music starts at 7 p.m.

Sunday Alpha Phi Alpha — The brothers of the Rho Beta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. of Henderson will meet at 2 p.m. at The Silo Restaurant on Graham Avenue in Henderson. The chapter is celebrating its 11th year and invites anyone interested in becoming a member to attend this dutch luncheon celebration. All current members are also encouraged to attend.

Monday Mental health meeting — The regularly scheduled meeting of the Five County Mental Health Authority will be held at 7 p.m. at the authority’s administrative building, 134 S. Garnett St., Henderson. The public is invited to attend. Granville chamber banquet — The Granville County Chamber of Commerce will hold its 68th Annual Meeting and Banquet at 6:30 p.m. in the Civic Center on Vance-Granville Community College’s main campus. Former Marine Lt. Patrick Cleburne “Clebe” McClary will be the guest speaker. Tickets are $28.50 each. Corporate tables, with reserved seating, may also be purchased. Reservations may be made with either of the chamber’s offices: 124 Hillsboro St., Oxford, (919) 693-6125, granvillechamber@embarqmail.com; or the South Office, 1598 N.C. Hwy. 56 between Butner and Creedmoor, (919) 528-4994, theresa@granville-chamber.com. Community watch — The Ruin Creek Road Community Watch will meet at 7 p.m. at West Hills Presbyterian Church. A guest speaker is scheduled and a brief business meeting will follow. Members of the community are encouraged to attend. Tax information meeting — Sisters Encouraging Sisters and the Oxford Housing Authority will sponsor a free money matters/ tax information seminar at 5 p.m. at the Oxford Housing Authority Educational Center, 101 Hillside Dr., Oxford. Tax preparation information and tips for financial success will be shared during the meeting. Timothy Daye, owner of Daye’s Financial Enterprise in Kittrell, will be the guest speaker. The public is invited to attend.

Tuesday Spay/neuter clinic — Citizens for Animal Protection is sponsoring a cat an dog spay/neuter clinic in Warrenton. Animals residing in a home in Warren County or at a Littleton address are eligible. Cost is $40 for cats and $60 to $85 for dogs (limit two pets per family). For more information or for an appointment, call SNAP-NC at (919) 783-7627. NAACP meeting — The monthly meeting of the NAACP will be held at 7 p.m. at the Gateway Center, 314 S. Garnett St., Henderson. Representatives from the Census Bureau and the Franklin, Granville, Vance and Warren weatherization organizations will speak about their programs.

Wednesday Stroke support group — The Maria Parham Medical Center Stroke Support Group will meet from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Center for Rehab Conference Room of the Brodie Waddill Building at Maria Parham Medical Center. The group follows the National Stroke Association Discovery Circles program, a nationally recognized stroke support group format. Stroke survivors, families, friends and caregivers are invited to attend. Please contact Liz Karan at 436-1604 with any questions.

Online Calendar An online calendar of community events is available on our Web site at hendersondispatch.com. We invite you to post your upcoming events on the Web site calendar. To post an event, just click on the word “Calendar” in the gray bar at the top of the home page and follow the instructions for posting an event. If you would also like your event considered for publication in the daily “Mark It Down” calendar that appears on this page, please also submit the information via e-mail to communitynews@hendersondispatch.com.

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Eaton-Johnson Middle School ambassadors set example that shines

A total of 19 students at Eaton-Johnson Middle School are participating as ambassadors this year for their school. The Eaton-Johnson Ambassadors consist of students in grades 6-8 who exhibit outstanding academics, behavior, attendance and character. The ambassadors serve in several capacities at school sponsored events including welcoming visitors to the school. Students must apply and then are selected to serve as ambassadors based on their school record and an interview. The ambassadors are led by Priscilla Chavis-Lockley, Ph.D., guidance counselor at Eaton-Johnson. Students who are serving as Eaton-Johnson Ambassadors include (front row, from left) Courtney Elliott, Tonyetta Perry, Amber Cousin, Jennifer Seaward, Tiarrah Small, Kayla Hawkins, Zadiedre Alston and Chavis-Lockley; (second row, from left) Annabelle Webb, Kywaun Taylor, Chattia Evans, Malik Williams, Nathan Oakes, Jake Wiggins and Danielle Jennings; (back row, from left) Dakota Parrish, Dominique Anderson, Bailey Farrington, Brandon Lopez-Hernandez and Heather Tharrington. The first-year ambassadors are sixth graders at Eaton-Johnson. Second-year ambassadors are called Royals and are in the seventh grade. Students who are in their third year as an ambassador and are in the eighth grade are called Imperials.

Advanced vegetable gardening (or how to become addicted) I expect many people end up as gardeners through happenstance. It may start with the impulse purchase of a few tomato plants on a sunny spring day. But small successes will leave you hungry for more. And this is when budding gardeners are most fragile. They are blithely unaware of the havoc that weeds, insects and disease can wreak on the naïve and Paul unsuspectMcKenzie ing novice. While Cooperative Democrats Extension blame Republicans and vice versa, I have another theory on the source of society’s ills — the disillusioned gardener. Herewith, I offer a few humble tips to guide the novice through that treacherous period so they may end up like me — a gardening addict willing to max out three

credit cards to feed the habit. First, skimp not on staking. Pea, pole bean and tomato plants are heavy when fully mature and laden with fruit. Forget skimpy bamboo or wooden sticks. My personal preference is metal “u-style” fence posts. They last forever and withstand tropical storm winds. Next, there is no substitute for a raised bed. Yes, they are a lot of work to build. But everything from weeding to spraying to fertilizing to harvesting will be easier. And the soil can be custom blended for ideal growing conditions. Start with a small one. Pick up a planting guide and stick to it. Spinach plants, for example, should be planted by March 15, but can probably be purchased as late as April 15. Why? Because someone will buy it. Tomato plants should not go out until April 20, but can be purchased in late March. See if you can guess why. Do succession plantings to maximize your space. Fill that small raised bed with leaf lettuce in early March. Eat a year’s worth of salads

Tips Its time to play! Parents, set aside time on Thursdays at 10 a.m. or 5 p.m. to learn positive parenting practices that will help improve your child’s behavior. Parents who participate learn the value of playing one-onone with their children

Vance County Parenting Task Force

from the

and increase positive parenting practices such as selective ignoring, praise, sticker charts and timeout. Parents also reduce negative practices that may include hitting, jerking, yelling and screaming. Classes began on Thursday, but registrations will be accepted until Feb. 4.

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Paul McKenzie, horticulture extension agent for Vance and Warren counties, can be reached at (252) 438-8188 or (252) 257-3640.

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will be different. Winter is the perfect length of time to savor successes and forget failures. If it weren’t for “next year,” the entire garden-industrial complex would collapse and gardeners would take up go-kart racing en-masse. And that would defy even a bipartisan solution!

Antiques-Collectibles-Furniture Estate Liquidations, by the piece or collection!

in April, then pull out the lettuce plants and put in your tomatoes and peppers. You could even follow up with a fall crop planted in midsummer. After having a couple years of success, try starting your own seeds indoors. Rest assured that your first attempts will be marginally successful, at best, and you will be back at the store to buy transplants. To avoid embarrassment, buy your seed at one store and the transplants at another. Include gardening in your weekly schedule. Gardens require regular maintenance. For a small raised bed, five minutes a day would be a great start. Don’t plant the same crop in the same spot every year. A minimum rotation of three years is ideal. Aside from minimizing soil depletion and reducing pest problems, this also requires you to build a second bed in year two, and a third in year three, which was my secret agenda all along. After all, I’m trying to get you hooked. Remember that next year

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From Page One

The Daily Dispatch

FIVE-DAY FORECAST FOR HENDERSON TODAY

TONIGHT

SUNDAY

Vance County hires tax administrator By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer

Partly Cloudy

Mostly Cloudy

Showers Likely

46º

37º

60º 51º

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Effective Feb. 1, Vance County’s new tax administrator will be Porcha Brooks, a division manager in the Durham County Tax Office.

She has more than 20 years of property tax experience, according to Vance County Manager Jerry Ayscue. “It is anticipated that her extensive experience and education will enhance the operations of the Tax

Office,” Ayscue said Friday. “Her leadership skills and other professional attributes will be of great value to our citizens,” he added. The county has been recruiting to fill the position since last April. Since then,

Cindy Lloyd has served as interim Tax Administrator. Brooks and her family will be relocating from Durham to Vance as soon as possible, Ayscue said.

• The Emergency Management Agency purchased additional fourwheel-drive vehicles. • EMA refined plans for mutual aid with other first responders. • EMA revised plans for working with the military. Short said a major innovation was the development of a RAPID plan, which stands for Readiness Assessment and Preparedness for Incidents and Disasters. RAPID contains nine pages of checklists of things to do before, during and after an emergency. The snowstorm was the first time emergency services in Vance County had been fully activated, Short said. As a result, “we’re a lot stronger.” “This was a good example of how a community can come together when it has to,” Short said. If Henderson residents were caught off guard by the storm, they weren’t the only ones. Not a few faces at the National Weather Service would have been red, were

it not for the frigid temperatures. They had predicted a light snowfall. On Sunday, Jan. 23, The Daily Dispatch carried the official forecast: “Today — Freezing rain likely during the morning. Then diminishing to drizzle during the afternoon ... Tonight — Mostly cloudy ... Monday — Partly cloudy and brisk.” That was the day before 17 inches fell. But two days earlier, the Dispatch had printed its own unscientific forecast under the headline “So what will happen Sunday?” That off-the-top-of-thehead assessment read: “The arctic air that moved into the area Thursday should remain through the weekend, meaning any moisture that arrives could be in the form of snow ... Who knows, the area really could get another dose of the white stuff.” “Dose,” indeed!

Contact the writer at awheless@hendersondispatch.com.

SNOWSTORM, from page one Few Showers

Mostly Sunny

Sunny

60º 35º

52º 30º

49º 31º

Almanac

Sun and Moon

Temperature

Sunrise today . . . . . .7:21 Sunset tonight . . . . .5:31 Moonrise today . . . .11:14 Moonset today . . . .12:40 Sunrise tomorrow . .7:20 Sunset tomorrow . . .5:32 Moonrise tomorrow 11:52 Moonset tomorrow . .1:44

Raleigh -Durham through 6 p.m. yest. High . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Normal High . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Normal Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Record High . . . . . . . . .72 in 1967 Record Low . . . . . . . . . .0 in 1970

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

Moon Phases

Precipitation Yesterday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Trace Month to date . . . . . . . . . . . .2.18" Normal month to date . . . . .2.85" Year to date . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.18" Normal year to date . . . . . . .2.85"

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 240 218.3 +0.3 Neuse Falls 264 252.9 +0.2

24-Hr. Capacity Yest. Change 203 199.7 +0.8 320 301.4 -0.3

Regional Weather Henderson 46/37

Winston-Salem Durham 47/38 47/37 Asheville 47/37

Rocky Mt. 48/38

Greensboro 47/37 Raleigh 48/39 Charlotte 49/40

Fayetteville 51/41

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

Cape Hatteras 51/45

Wilmington 55/45

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

47/37 47/35 47/37 47/38 60/45 48/36 47/38 47/39 56/39 51/41 51/41 47/37 52/40 53/42 45/37

47/37 53/41 52/40 53/42 55/47 53/44 47/43 52/41 48/39 45/34 47/37 48/38 49/40 55/45 47/37

cl mc pc pc pc s pc pc s pc s pc pc pc cl

56/38 52/41 58/49 60/50 64/38 55/47 60/50 60/54 62/37 65/53 66/54 58/48 66/55 68/57 54/39

sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh t t sh sh sh sh

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 pc s s pc pc pc pc pc s s pc s pc

57/48 68/56 68/56 66/53 63/56 65/58 59/55 68/57 62/51 54/49 62/51 64/53 62/51 65/57 57/47

sh sh sh t t sh sh sh sh sh t t sh t sh

110s 100s 90s 80s 70s 60s 50s 40s 30s 20s 10s 0s

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

Cold Front

Stationary Front

Warm Front

Low Pressure

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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.

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3 weekends January 23 thru February 7 Drawing Date will be February 13 at The Silo at 6:30 pm It will be a Meet & Greet event Sponsored by Vance County Republican Party

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the second time in two weeks. At week’s end, school officials were still waiting to see if road conditions would allow schools to reopen on the following Monday. Looking back on the event this week, Wayne Adcock, Vance County Schools superintendent at the time, said, “What stands out is all the help we had from emergency management people and the police. They were really good to work with.” Adcock said the existing procedures for notifying parents of school closings did not change after the great snowstorm. They worked well under normal conditions, but “there was no way to change them to handle such an unusual event.” Short recalled that the volume of calls at the 911 center was three to four times higher than had ever been recorded previously. “We had upgraded the 911 service four months before. If we hadn’t, there is no way we could have handled all the calls,” he said. Of greatest concern were people with medical conditions who required transportation to the hospital or needed prescriptions refilled. “We coordinated with the chief physician of the dialysis center,” Short said. The physician developed a priority list of people needing dialysis, so EMT personnel could transport those most in need to the center. Short listed improvements that were made based on what was learned from the great snowstorm: • The emergency communication system was upgraded.

er Ev

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

In North Carolina, over 200,000 power company customers lost electricity. Schools and many business were closed. More than 100 travelers were stranded at RaleighDurham Airport. Gov. Jim Hunt declared a state of emergency for all of North Carolina. Closer to home, hundreds of motorists saw traffic on Interstate 85 south of the Virginia state line shut down by jackknifed trucks and cars that had “spun out.” Crews attempting to plow local roads as the snow was falling soon found that they couldn’t stay ahead of it. Garnett Street in downtown Henderson lacked only the figure of Dr. Zhivago trudging through the snow to complete the image of the Russian steppes. R. G. “Chick” Young, Jr. was mayor of Henderson in 2000. He recalled that one problem was created when traffic, limited as it was, got onto city streets before the snowplows could do their work. The result was packed snow frozen so solid that the city had no equipment to remove it. “I called Gov. Hunt and he got some bigger equipment to us, heavy scrapers that could clear Dabney Drive and the main thoroughfares,” he said. Firefighters and emergency vehicles had difficulty reaching their destinations because of stalled automobiles blocking roadways. “We had citizens who had problems getting food and water. “ÆThe National Guard came in. They were very, very effective in getting food to people who needed it,” Young said. Schools were closed for

HUGE REDUcTiON - 3 fiNiSHED flOORS: NOw ONly $298,000. Oxford Park dream home with 3+BD/3.5BA, huge bonus room could be 4th BD. Finished walkout lower level with tall ceilings perfect for theater room, pool table/bar or separate living area. Many upgrades like marble FP surround, great Craftsman detail and woodwork, large deck and patio, custom window shades/treatments. Why pay $35+K more to build this same house new in Oxford Park? Take advantage of this incredible deal and come view this property! Swim complex, nature trails, sidewalks, park, & so much more! Why pay more to build new.

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Local News

The Daily Dispatch

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Deaths Mary S. Bowling

James A. House

STEM — Mary S. Bowling, 84, of Stem, died Friday, Jan. 22, 2010. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by GentryNewell and Vaughan Funeral Home.

HENDERSON — James Albert “Jack” House, 85, of 725 Community House Road, died Friday, January 22, 2010, at Britthaven Nursing Home in Louisburg after a lengthy illness. Mr. House was born May 12, 1924, in Lawrenceville, Va., and was the son of the late Percy Lee House and Mildred Moseley House. He was a veteran of the United States Army serving during World War II. He was a dairy farmer for 27 years, and an antique dealer for over 30 years. Mr. House was known as a man of integrity by all who knew him. He was a member of Plank Chapel United Methodist Church, the Allen Bible Class, and the Senior Circle. He is survived by his beloved wife of 57 years, Katie “Kay” Locke House of the home; two daughters, Jacqueline Carter and Cindi Mullis and husband, David, of

Sarah T. Pugh HENDERSON — Sarah Lucille Tiggs Pugh, 78, of 706 Marshall St., died Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010, at the University of North Carolina Hospital in Chapel Hill. The family will receive friends at the residence. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Davis-Royster Funeral Service.

Edward Seward WARRENTON — Edward Seward, 38, of 369 Snow Hill Road, Warrenton, died Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010, at Maria Parham Medical Center in Henderson. Funeral services are incomplete at this time but will be announced by Boyd’s Funeral Service in Warrenton.

James E. Winstead July 16, 1941 — Jan. 21, 2010

Vinso Small HENDERSON — Vinso “Buck” Small, 68, of 2501 Spring Valley Road, died Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010, at Duke Hospice Inpatient Facility. The family will receive friends at the residence. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Davis-Royster Funeral Service.

Evelyn W. Thompson OXFORD — Evelyn Watson Thompson, 78, of 2183 Smith Road, died Friday, Jan. 22, 2010, at her home. A native of Granville County, she was the daughter of the late John H. and Mattie Moon Watson. She was a member of Oxford Church of God and was a homemaker. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Monday in the Eakes Funeral Chapel in Oxford by the Rev. Eddie Mauldin. Burial will be in Meadowview Memorial Park.

J. M. White Funeral Home 60 Zeb Robinson Rd. Henderson

438-5139 Member of the International Order of the Golden Rule.

KITTRELL — James E. “Fuzzy” Winstead, 68, of Kittrell, died Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010, at his home. He was preceded in death by his parents, Alex and Ruby Winstead. A memorial service will be held at Lancaster Funeral and Cremation at 3 p.m. today. The family members will meet one hour prior to the service, and all other times at the home. He is survived by his wife, Lucille P. Winstead of Kittrell; daughters, Surviving are six sons, John C. “J.C.” Thompson of Bullock, Mike Thompson, Gene Thompson and Benny Setzer, all of Oxford, Ronnie Thompson of Chester, Va., and Timmy Thompson of Creedmoor; two sisters, Jeanette Dean of Rougemont and Rebecca Dease of Oxford; a brother, Ronald “Tubby” Watson of Oxford; 14 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren. The visitation will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday

Henderson; three grandchildren, Lewis Bowen III, Stephanie Mullis and Stephen Mullis; his sisters, Laurice Sizer (Wes) of Emporia, Va., and Ernestine Stark and Betsy Baird (Aubrey) of Bracey, Va. He was preceded in death by a brother, Percy A. House; and a sister, Mary Creasman. Funeral services will be held Monday at 2 p.m. in the J.M. White Funeral Home Chapel by the Rev. Carol Dean. Burial with Military Honors will follow in Crestview Memorial Park in La Crosse, Va. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 1 to 2 p.m. prior to the service. The family would like to thank the staff of Britthaven of Louisburg, Franklin Regional Medical Center, and Hospice of Wake County for the care provided over the past two years. Arrangements are by J.M. White Funeral Home. Paid Obituary

Tammie Cash (Corbett) and Lisa Cottrell (Tommy); four grandchildren, Tanya Cash (Jeremiah), Carissa Roberson (Nick), Megan Cottrell and Thomas Cottrell, all of Kittrell; two great-grandchildren, Ethan Creech and Wyatt Roberson, both of Kittrell; brother, Phillip Winstead; and sisters, Katie Jones and Brenda Gattis. Arrangements are being handled by Lancaster Funeral and Cremation Service, 804 N. Bickett Boulevard, Louisburg. Online condolences may be made to www.lancasterfcs.com. Paid Obituary

at the Eakes Funeral Home in Oxford and at other times at the home. Arrangements are by Eakes Funeral Home in Oxford.

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WARRENTON — Lucille Hicks Thompson was born Jan. 8, 1922, in Vance County to John T. and Gussie Evans Hicks and died Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010, at Treyburn Healthcare in Durham. She was the widow of H. Fred Thompson and was a former resident of Warren County. Survivors include her daughter, Martha T. Tunstall of Bahama; brother, Arthur Hicks of Greensboro; and two grandsons. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her siblings, Sue H. Grahl, Pearl H. Finch, Lewis Hicks, Pryor Hicks, Fenner Hicks and Joseph Hicks. She was a graduate of St. Leo’s Nursing School in Greensboro and was a registered nurse who devoted her life to caring for others, retiring from Warren General Hospital. She joined Shocco Methodist Church at an early age, and later was a member of Hebron Methodist Church and Jerusalem United Methodist Church. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at Hebron Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. Dr. John Bergland. Burial will follow in the Jerusalem United Methodist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends at Jerusalem United Methodist Church following the interment. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to Hebron Methodist Church, P.O. Box 595, Warrenton, N.C. 27589. Arrangements are by Blaylock Funeral Home.

By DISPATCH STAFF

OXFORD — City Public Works Director Larry Thomas said the City Commission will have to amend the budget by at least $6,200 to repair the water meter vault for the link from Oxford to Stovall. Thomas told the commission’s Public Works Committee that a sump pump in the vault failed. A sump pump prevents the accumulation of groundwater or rain. The vault filled up with water, causing the failure of the mechanisms designed to activate the link. As a result, Oxford is having to manually make sure water is flowing to the overhead

tank at Stovall, Thomas told the Public Works Committee, which met Wednesday. Thomas said the money would come from Oxford’s water fund. The sevenmember commission’s next regular meeting is Feb. 9. Stovall has been a water customer of Oxford since 2007, when the link along U.S. 15 from north of Oxford toward Stovall was completed to relieve Stovall’s overburdened water wells. The link, which cost more than $1.3 million, was paid for with grant funding, plus loans from Oxford and Granville County. Send comments to news@ hendersondispatch.com.

Alleged car thief found playing ‘Grand Theft Auto’ ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Sheriff’s deputies in central Florida found a suspected car thief playing the “Grand Theft Auto” video game, and they later charged him with just that. Polk County deputies investigating the theft of a 1998 Dodge Durango arrested 30-year-old Michael Ray Ekes on Thursday. They found the Sports Utility Vehicle outside a Haines

City home. Ekes was inside in the house, playing the popular video game. Ekes was charged with grand theft auto, burglary and drug possession. At the time of his arrest, he was out of jail on bond for another grand theft auto charge, the Orlando Sentinel reported. According to Polk County jail records, Ekes remained in custody Friday.

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Business & Farm

The Daily Dispatch

City Tire’s new owners have expansion plans By DISPATCH STAFF

City Tire Incorporated has announced a change in ownership and plans for expansion. Officials of the 523 W. Andrews Ave. business in Henderson announced that R4 Properties, LLC, became the new owners on Jan. 1, 2010. The new stockholders — Mike Rainey, president; Ray Rainey, vice president; Pat Frazier, secretary; and Rebecca Aycock, treasurer — are the children of John A. Rainey, the former owner, and his wife, Betty. At the same time, Mike Rainey announced plans for an expansion of the business to be announced in the near future. Rainey said the company has purchased

approximately eight acres of land adjoining the business and stretching along Andrews Avenue. City Tire was established in Henderson in 1956 by J.W. Jenkins, Inc., with John A. Rainey as general manager. In addition to the Henderson store, the company has operated stores in South Hill, Va., Louisburg, and Oxford, and a recapping plant and warehouse on the Raleigh Road in Henderson. In 1984, the company was purchased by John Rainey, and a new store was built on Andrews Avenue. All operations of the company are now consolidated at the Andrews Avenue location. “The year 2009 had been a very good year for City Tire in spite of the poor economy,” Mike Rainey said.

Currencies & Metals NEW YORK (AP) — Key currency exchange rates Friday: Dollar vs: Yen Euro Pound Swiss franc Canadian dollar Mexican peso Metal NY Merc Gold NY HSBC Bank US NY Merc Silver

ExchgRate 89.85 $1.4138 $1.6121 1.0418 1.0587 12.9320 Price $1089.20 $1090.00 $16.918

PvsDay 90.38 $1.4103 $1.6209 1.0415 1.0502 12.7920 PvsDay $1102.70 $1095.00 $17.496

Nonferrous NEW YORK (AP) — Spot nonferrous metal prices Friday: Aluminum - $1.0110 per lb., London Metal Exch. Copper -$3.3319 Cathode full plate, LME. Copper $3.3385 N.Y. Merc spot Fri. Lead - $2272.00 metric ton, London Metal Exch. Zinc - $1.1099 per lb., London Metal Exch. Gold - $1084.00 Handy & Harman (only daily quote). Gold - $1089.20 troy oz., NY Merc spot Fri. Silver - $17.140 Handy & Harman (only daily quote). Silver - $16.918 troy oz., N.Y. Merc spot Fri. Platinum -$1549.00 troy oz., N.Y. (contract). Platinum -$1536.40 troy oz., N.Y. Merc spot Fri. n.q.-not quoted, n.a.-not available r-revised

A DAY ON WALL STREET 11,000

January 22, 2010

Dow Jones industrials

10,000 9,000 8,000

-216.90 10,172.98

Pct. change from previous: -2.09%

High 10,389.58

2,400

Nasdaq composite

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

-60.41 S

Pct. change from previous: -2.67%

High 2,262.27

Standard & Poor’s 500 -24.72 S

Pct. change from previous: -2.21%

1,400

Low 2,200.37

January 22, 2010

1,091.76

7,000

Low 10,157.64

January 22, 2010

2,205.29

Saturday, January 23, 2010

High 1,115.49

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

Low 1,090.18

SOURCE: SunGard

MARKET ROUNDUP 012210: Market chartsrea show Dow, S&P tocks 500, and Nasdaq; stand-alone; 2c x 4 1/2 inches; 96 mm x 114 mm; staff

ACS 62.54 Listed below are representative Editors: Allatfigures 5:26:04 PM EST 25.39 inter-dealer quotations approxi- as of: ATT NOTE: 4 Figures reflect from market close; may not match other AP content Corp. 50.85 mately p.m. Friday thefluctuations National afterBall BankAmerica 14.90 Association of Securities Dealers. BB&T 28.15 Prices do not include retail mark-up, Coca-Cola 54.24 mark-down or commission.

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

33.24 16.55 66.10 10.52 16.11 27.72 125.50 63.20 26.14 2.83 7.46 22.31 3.40 60.39 19.71 60.31 38.52 4.04 49.93 53.09 15.20 3.37 24.55 46.13 30.34 47.06 52.94 27.26 4.80 75.98

If you miss your paper,

PLEASE CALL before 11:00 am — 436-2800

OFFICIAL BALLOT FOR THE 2009 “BEST OF VANCE COUNTY” 65. Best Golf Course Business _______________________ 66. Best Church Supplier Business _______________________ 67. Best Medical Wear Business _______________________ 68. Best Photographer/Studio 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 _______________________

69. Best Mexican Food Business _______________________ 70. Best Italian Food Business _______________________ 71. Best Chinese Food Business _______________________ 72. Best Cup of Coffee Restaurant or Store ________________ 73. Best Pancake and Waffles Restaurant ______________________ 74. Best Stew Restaurant or Deli _________________ 75. Best Hot Dogs Restaurant or Grill _________________ 76. Best Hamburgers Restaurant or Grill _________________ 77. Best Barbeque Restaurant ______________________ 78. Best Fried Chicken Restaurant ______________________ 79. Best Chicken Sandwich Restaurant ______________________ 80. Best Hushpuppies Restaurant ______________________ 81. Best Fast Food Restaurant or Grill _________________ 82. Best Salad Bar/Soup Restaurant or Grill _________________ 83. Best Buffet Restaurant or Deli _________________ 84. Best Pizza Restaurant or Delivery Service ________ 85. Best Steaks Restaurant ______________________ 86. Best Seafood Restaurant ______________________ 87. Best Iced Tea Restaurant or Grill _________________ 88. Best Ice Cream Location________________________ 89. Best Milkshakes Location________________________ 90. Best Desserts Restaurant, Deli or Bakery ___________ 91. Best “Southern Style” Meal Restaurant ______________________ 92. Best Home-Cooked Breakfast Business _______________________ 93. Best Chicken Tenders Business _______________________ 94. 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 28, 2010. 8. One entry per person. 9. Must be 18 years or older to participate. 10. A complete list of rules is available at The Daily Dispatch.

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

CMYK 6A

Opinion

The Daily Dispatch

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Editorial Board: James Edwards, Publisher Luke Horton, Editor Don Dulin, News Editor Linda Gupton, Features Editor

• • • •

jedwards@hendersondispatch.com lhorton@hendersondispatch.com ddulin@hendersondispatch.com lgupton@hendersondispatch.com

304 S. Chestnut St./P.O. Box 908 Henderson, N.C. 27536 PHONE: 436-2700/FAX: 430-0125

Daily Meditation Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. Acts 8:21-22

Our Opinion

County too slow with info On Friday, Vance County officials finally came forward with information this newspaper has been seeking all week. Was any of it controversial? No. Was any of it incriminating? No. Will any of the information derail the investigation? No. So why did it take so long? On Tuesday, the county issued a short press release that said: “The Vance County Sheriff’s Office is engaged in an ongoing investigation of a report of a missing bank deposit bag with receipts from a county office. Public funds are required by law to be deposited daily, and the contents of the missing bag were prepared accordingly for deposit into a local bank. Additional security measures have been implemented.” We heard the amount missing was as much as $60,000 including cash and checks. So naturally, we had a few questions for the sheriff and the county manager. But those questions were answered with a quick “no comment.” Throughout the week, nuggets of information were slowly released from the county, but details we felt should be made public were withheld. Until Friday. Vance County Sheriff Peter White released additional information about the missing bank deposit bag. That information included: • The total amount of funds missing is $60,607.61, which includes $7,854.65 in cash and $52,752.96 in checks. • A particular county employee, not identified by name, has served for many years as the courier to deposit county funds. • No one has been disciplined or fired as a result of the disappearance of the deposit bag, due to the ongoing investigation and facts yet to be determined. • After the loss was discovered, security measures were immediately implemented to prevent future losses. These funds are now transported accompanied by armed security, identified as deputies. White indicated that additional information will be released to the extent possible as the investigation progresses. We’re happy county officials decided to release the information, but it’s disappointing that it took so long for them to do it.

Quotable “Nobody cares. Maybe they do just want us to starve to death.” Phileas Justin, 78, a resident of the quake-damaged Municipal Nursing Home in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where three people have died of hunger or exhaustion. “We have to get this done. If these folks want a fight, it’s a fight I’m ready to have.” President Barack Obama after urgently calling for limits on Wall Street banks’ size and investments to stave off a new economic meltdown. “NBC dropped off all my CDs and picked up its lava lamp.” “Tonight Show” host Conan O’Brien after he and the network worked out a $45 million exit from the late-night show.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Obama looks for a rebound “Never let a serious crisis go to waste,” White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said a few days after President Barack Obama’s election. A year into the Obama presidency, the crisis appears in many political ways to have been wasted. A timely wake-up call came last week on the final night of Obama’s first year in office. Republican Scott Brown’s comefrom-behind victory in Massachusetts cost Democrats their 60-seat majority in the Senate. After similar setbacks for Obama-backed candidates in Virginia and New Jersey governor races, the loss in overwhelmingly Democratic Massachusetts was particularly jarring. Brown could not have won without disenchanted Democrats who either sat out the race or crossed over to help Brown win — saying in many cases that they wanted to “send a message” to Washington. In an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, Obama appeared to get the message: He admitted that his administration got so busy that it lost touch and left the public with “a feeling of remoteness and detachment.” Gee, do ya think? What a difference a year makes. Remember Obama’s

inaugural address? “Now there are some who question the scale of our ambitions,” he said. “What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them.” A year later, the ground has shifted beneath him, too. Unemployment has hit 26-year highs, of the Clarence two biggest Page carmakers have Tribune Media declared Services bankruptcy, and the president’s healthcare bill became hung up in the ugly sausage-making process of haggling, partisan sniping, backroom deals and other “old ways of doing politics” that candidate Obama promised to change. His approval ratings have slid from almost 70 percent in his first weeks to about 50 percent. Happy first year, Mr. President. What went wrong? In some ways, Team Obama fell prey to the same hubris revealed in the early days of Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton and the conservative “revolution” of

House Speaker Newt Gingrich in 1994. They thought their electoral victories represented big shifts in the political paradigm, perhaps for decades to come. Instead, their tidal waves look like ripples in America’s constantly shifting political tides. And even Obama seems to realize there’s substance to the rap from his critics that he’s been too aloof from everyday concerns of economically anxious Americans: “If there’s one thing that I regret this year,” he said, it is that “we were so busy just getting stuff done and dealing with the immediate crises ... that I think we lost some of that sense of speaking directly to the American people about what their core values are and why we have to make sure those institutions are matching up with those values.” Indeed, how hard you’re working doesn’t matter much unless the public sees some good results or, at least, knows you’re working hard on getting good results. Obama’s economic stimulus package cushioned the impact of the Great Recession -- more, it appeared, for bonus-hungry Wall Streeters than for the nation’s growing ranks of jobless. Health care stalled in mid-summer as Senate Democrats tried

Does conservatism have a conscience or a soul? As babies were being pulled, crushed and broken, from the rubble. As people lay writhing on cardboard mats, gashed and moaning under the sun. As families placed their loved ones out at the curb for pick-up, like garbage. As Haiti reeled and staggered and the rest of the world rushed to the aid of a humble, beleaguered people, two icons of American conservatism reared up last week and offered analyses of the earthquake that has devastated the impoverished island nation. The Rev. Pat Robertson opined on his program, “The 700 Club,” that Haiti’s woes stem from the fact that it made a deal with the devil two centuries ago and now is “cursed.” Rush Limbaugh suggested the relief effort would “play right into” President Obama’s hands, allowing him to appear “humanitarian, compassionate” and thus, “burnish” his standing within the AfricanAmerican community. It left me wondering, just for the briefest of seconds, whether conservatism has a conscience, whether conservatism has a soul. Yes, you’re right. It is a fundamentally unfair question, if only because conservatives like columnist Kathleen Parker and TV personality Elisabeth Hasselbeck of “The View” promptly took the men to task. And yet, by the same token: this is hardly the first time this has happened. To the contrary, it has become routine that after

disasters both natural and human, icons of conservatism spout hateful, hurtful, cynical words, words that belittle the victims and trivialize the suffering. As in Neal Boortz blaming the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina on Leonard the “worthPitts less parasites” Distributed by who lived in Cagle Cartoons New Orleans. As in Michael Savage reportedly saying the United States should not send “one nickel” of aid to South Asia when a tsunami killed 226,000 people because it is “a hotbed of radical Islam.” As in Jerry Falwell blaming the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that took 3,000 lives on gays, feminism, abortion and the ACLU. And if it is unfair to question conservatism’s possession of conscience and soul, perhaps one can be forgiven for simply wondering what is this weird reflex, this bizarre tic, that seems to repeatedly compel its most high-profile adherents to victimize victims. Social conservatives — we know this, because they tell us repeatedly — are righteous people, people gifted with a higher morality than the ordinary run of human beings. But one sees little of that greatheartedness in the aftermath of

unsuccessfully to win at least a few Republican votes. In polls, moderate Obama voters shifted to the right, if only to “send a message” to Washington. Progressive-wing Democrats, already disappointed by Obama’s hawkish foreign policy and Wall Street coziness are outraged by compromises like the cave-in on a health care public option. But as Democrats scramble to reassess and make course corrections, they’ll be missing a truly historic opportunity if they don’t support a scaledback version, if it comes to that, of the present bloated and complicated package. Future lawmakers can return to it later, once it’s enacted and the public has a chance to get comfortable with it. By contrast, if Democrats try instead to ram a huge, complicated health care overhaul to passage against the current tide of public suspicions, they will only unite Republican opposition, a task Republican leaders have been remarkably unable to do on their own. And if the Democrats’ big push for health care reforms fails now, it won’t just be the economic crisis that will look wasted in Obama’s first year. So will the entire year.

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Closing the job gap

Community college enrollment is up — way, way up — but where are the jobs? With any luck, the kind of jobs that the Triangle most needs are waiting in the tragedy. Great-heartedness, after wings. This week, the Durall, would include compassion ham City Council prepared for people suffering and bereft a $69,905 incentive offer for — and “preclude” ad hominem ACW Technology Ltd. assaults on the vulnerable and The British electronics helpless. manufacturer is heading to Apparently, some of us are the region — somewhere so estranged from their very — and dragging 155 jobs humanity, so besotted with their behind it. own righteousness, so deeply, Most of the jobs on offer damnably smug, self-centered, aren’t lucrative by the area’s small and mean, that there is standards; 105 workers nothing — not the wail of orphan would make $23,718 per children, not the stink of rotting year. flesh, not death tolls that stagSo, why the excitement? ger imagining — they will not Durham doesn’t have a reduce to cheap morality plays to problem attracting new infurther their cultural and political dustries and jobs per se, but agendas. Tens of thousands of these jobs are exactly what people are dead in the poorest we need. Research Triangle place in the western hemisphere Park has a knack for luring and the preacher asks: How can high-paying jobs for seriously that be used to buttress my vision educated people, but there is of a vengeful, angry God? Relief a deep and growing gap for is being rushed to the island as Triangle residents without fast as humanly possible and college or advanced degrees. the bloviator wonders: how can Although 155 sounds like that be used to belittle Barack a comparative drop in the Obama? bucket, these are just the Apparently, there’s never a kinds of jobs we need, just timeout, never a pause button, when we need them. never a moment when they The other good news remember to simply behave like is that, in the face of the human beings. A human being, economic downturn, many faced with calamity on this scale, of those people are helping says, “Oh, my God.” A human themselves, and in doing being says, “Those poor people.” so may help the region’s A human being says, “What can I economic development. do to help?” Education broadens an But the Limbaughs and individual’s options, but a Robertsons of the world say some large, educated workforce variation of, God hates you. Or, can only broaden our appeal You had it coming. They call that to a wider range of investors conservative. and businesses. I call it obscene. The Herald-Sun, Durham

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Today’s Birthdays: Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-N.J.) is 86. Actress Jeanne Moreau is 82. Actress Chita Rivera is 77. Actor-director Lou Antonio is 76. Actor Gil Gerard is 67. Actor Rutger Hauer is 66. Rhythm-andblues singer Jerry Lawson (The Persuasions) is 66. Sen. Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.) is 63. Singer Anita Pointer is 62. Actor Richard Dean Anderson is 60. Rock musician Bill Cunningham is 60. Rock singer Robin Zander (Cheap Trick) is 57. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (vee-yah-ry-GOH’-sah) is 57. Princess Caroline of Monaco is 53. Singer Anita Baker is 52. Reggae musician Earl Falconer (UB40) is 51. Actress Gail O’Grady is 47. Actress Mariska Hargitay is 46. Rhythm-and-blues singer Marc Nelson is 39.

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One year ago: President Barack Obama quietly ended the Bush administration’s ban on giving federal money to international groups that perform abortions or provide information on the option.

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