CMYK Dogs don’t care about dogma
KVA, Franklin tie on opening night
Mount Olive pastor’s prayers answered
Opinion, Page 6A
Sports, Page 1B
Faith, Page 1C SATURDAY, August 15, 2009
Volume XCV, No. 190
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Man, 18, wanted in connection with Oxford shooting 2 others arrested in incident police calling gang related By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer
OXFORD — An 18-year-old man is wanted for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and possession of a weapon of mass destruction in connection with an early Thursday afternoon shooting along Peace Street in the southeastern part of the city.
Governor eases up on spending restrictions
Tevon Jones, whose last known address was 114 Taylor St., was last seen armed with a sawed off shotgun, police said. Two others were arrested in connection with the shooting, which police said appears to X. Bobbitt Jones J. Bobbitt have been gang related. of possession of a stolen firearm The two are Xavier Bobbitt, and possession of a firearm by a 18, and Joshua Bobbitt, 21, both convicted felon. of 111 Summitt Ave. Xavier Bobbitt and Joshua Xavier Bobbitt, who is being Bobbitt are cousins, police said. held on $75,000 bond, is accused The shooting happened at apof discharging a firearm in the proximately 1:40 p.m. city limits, possession of a stolen Police said that, after arrivfirearm and possession of a fireing in the area, they were told arm by a convicted felon. persons in a white sport utility Joshua Bobbitt, who is being vehicle had an exchange of words held on $70,000 bond, is accused
T-storm High: 90 Low: 64
Sunday Humid
High: 92 Low: 69
Details, 3A
Deaths Henderson Gilbert L. Hawkins, 70 Oxford Robert T. Steed, 73 Walter Spencer Jr., 47
Obituaries, 4A
Contact the writer at bwest@hendersondispatch.com.
Superintendent sought to assure the audience of this at the New Teacher Breakfast By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer
Index
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vehicle was found at the rear of a yard at 111 Summit Ave., which is nearly parallel to Peace Street. Police said that a 9 mm handgun was recovered that was reported stolen from Granville County. And police said Xavier Bobbitt was the one who fired the weapon. Anyone with any information is urged to phone police at (919) 693-3161, phone Granville Crime Stoppers at (919) 6933100 or approach the nearest law enforcement officer.
‘Things will be fine’ in Granville schools
OXFORD — Granville County Schools Superintendent Tim Farley told the crowd gathered RALEIGH (AP) — Gov. Friday morning for the annual Beverly Perdue is easing up on countywide New Teacher Breakspending restrictions followfast not to worry as the school ing approval of a state budget, year approaches Aug. 25 in the but limits on purchases, travel and hiring for North Carolina’s midst of difficult economic times nationwide. government “We’ll do a terrific job,” Farley will continue. said at the event, which was held Perdue’s in the cafeteria of the Masonic budget director Home for Children. “Our youngon Friday sent sters will learn. Things will be a memo telling fine in Granville County.” state agencies The gathering provides incomto hold back ing educators with the chance to five percent of Perdue meet government and elected offiwhat the budcials, business owners and county get authorized. Chamber of Commerce members. Public schools are exempted. The incoming educators receive Agency heads must continue approving travel and pay raises, gifts from the businesses. but now have flexibility to deFarley gave the same message cide how to manage spending. to the audience he recently gave Since April, state agencies to the school district’s leadership have been authorized to spend team. The message was based on only for mandatory obligations Farley’s being a fan of the 1939 such as salaries, debt service big screen classic “The Wizard and utilities. of Oz” because, Farley said, A spokesman said the the story tells much about both governor is being cautious since troubles and success. tax increases used to balance Farley recalled the scene when the budget won’t be available Dorothy and her acquaintances for months. entered Emerald City. Dorothy wanted to go back home to Kansas, The Tin Man wanted a heart, The Scarecrow wanted a brain and The Cowardly Lion wanted Our Hometown . . . . . 2A courage. Business & Farm. . . . 5A The Wizard’s voice said he Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . 6A intended to grant their wishes, Light Side . . . . . . . . . 7A but wanted them to bring him the broomstick of The Wicked Witch Sports. . . . . . . . . . 1-4B of the West, which they did, only Faith. . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4C to discover The Wizard was a Comics . . . . . . . . . . . 5C sham. Classifieds. . . . . . . 6-8C
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with several persons at the corner of Peace and Person streets. The vehicle turned onto Peace Street and began heading toward Raleigh Street, police said. A male in the crowd, later identified as Jones, allegedly pulled a shotgun and fired into the rear of the vehicle, police said. The vehicle stopped and a male, identified as Xavier Bobbitt, fired at least three rounds from a pistol in the direction of Jones, police said. All of the subjects fled the scene, police said. A white Chevrolet sport utility
The point, Farley said, was they did not need The Wizard because Dorothy could always go home, The Tin Man had a heart, The Scarecrow had a brain and The Lion had courage. “So, when I was asked this morning, ‘Are you prepared with all that’s going on to open school?’ The answer is certifiably yes.” “We’ve got everything that we need. We don’t need to depend on anybody else to do what we know how to do,” Farley said. “I can’t worry about what I do or don’t have,” Farley said. “I can’t worry about what may come or may not come. I know that those children will show up on the 25th, as sure as I’m standing here, and I know that we’re going to do a good job educating.” “That’s all I need to know,” Farley said. “I don’t need any help from a wizard.” Farley updated the message with the story behind the new movie G-Force, a comedy adventure in which guinea pigs are trained to work in government espionage. Farley told of the guinea pigs being told that they were genetically engineered and special, but that they later discovered that they were otherwise. The point, Farley said, is the guinea pig leader says, “I believe we can do this” and the human leader who crafted this looks at the guinea pigs and says, “I’ve always believed in you.” Farley said, “I will do the best job that I can with what I’ve got and know I’ve got good stuff. I don’t need to believe in myself. I simply need to believe in you and I do.” Please see GRANVILLE, page 3A
Daily Dispatch/William F. West
The license plate on Casey Flynn’s vehicle shows she is a long way from where she came from, but reflects the diversity of the new educators in Granville County. Flynn, a teacher at G.C. Hawley Middle School, was at Friday’s annual countywide New Teacher Breakfast.
New teachers arrive from beyond the South By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer
OXFORD — The list of new teachers in Granville County is quite a diverse one, with many of them having come from the North, the Midwest and the West. “It seems like a great place,” said Casey Flynn, 22, of Denver. “It’s just very friendly. It’s got a small town feel.” “I mean, everyone here is very genuine,” Flynn said. “So, it just doesn’t seem artificial at all.” Flynn, a graduate of the Uni-
versity of Colorado at Boulder, is a teacher at G.C. Hawley Middle School near Creedmoor. Flynn was commenting to the Dispatch on Friday morning moments after the annual countywide New Teacher Breakfast in which nearly 30 new educators introduced themselves. Many of the teachers joined the county schools after the 2008 breakfast. Elizabeth Day, 22, of Lafayette, Ind., and a graduate of Perdue University, is a teacher at CreedPlease see TEACHERS, page 3A
Residents on edge as 9 women vanish from N.C. city By ALYSIA PATTERSON Associated Press Writer
ROCKY MOUNT — They spent their nights jumping in and out of strange cars, trolling otherwise empty streets lined with decaying storefronts and boarded-up homes. Many sold sex to support drug habits or children left in the care of worried, hardworking grandmothers. Even when they were picked up for drugs or prostitution, nights in jail looming, they called home to let their families know they were OK. Then, one by one, the calls stopped. Since 2005, nine women who lived at the edges of the poor community in this small North Carolina city have disappeared. Six bodies were found along rural roads just a few miles outside town, most so decomposed that investigators could not tell how they died. At least one of the women was strangled, and all the deaths have been classified as homicides. Three women are still missing.
AP Photo/Gerry Broome
A billboard shows information about 9 women who are missing or dead in Rocky Mount. Police will not say whether they suspect a serial killer, but people in the community about 60 miles northeast of Raleigh do, and they’re impatient with law enforcement efforts to investigate the slayings. After the latest body — that of
31-year-old Jarneice Hargrove — was found in June behind a burntout house that was once a crack den, local law enforcement and state police formed a task force. In July, the FBI got involved. But friends and family say it didn’t happen soon enough.
“We got someone out here that’s snatching up females,” said Stephanie Jones, a 28-year-old nursing student. “I mean, next person could be your grandmother, it could be me, it could be my mother, it could be my daughter.” Jones, who knew two of the victims, has founded a group that is raising money to publicize the slayings and search for those still missing. She says the cases are being swept under the rug because of the victims’ lifestyles. The lead investigator, Sheriff James Knight, said he cannot comment. Rumors swirl about the identity of the killer, if there is just one. Some say he is an ex-military man or an ex-police officer because he leaves no evidence. Others believe he is exacting revenge on local women after contracting HIV from a prostitute. Forensic psychologist Dr. Michael Teague said the killings are probably the work of one person. Please see VANISH, page 3A