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Local News, Page 4A
Opinion, Page 6A
Faith, Page 1C SATURDAY, October 3, 2009
Volume XCV, No. 232
(252) 436-2700
VGCC ball benefits endowment By DAVID IRVINE Daily Dispatch Writer
The Vance-Granville Community College Endowment Fund will be one of the beneficiaries of the college’s 40th Anniversary Ball. The other beneficiaries will be supporters of the college, who will enjoy dinner and music at the celebration. The ball will be held tonight in the Civic Center on the college’s main campus. Dress is black tie optional. The deadline for the required reservations has passed. The evening will begin with a social hour at 5:30 p.m. Dinner will be served from 6:30 to 7:30. The Andrew Thielen Big Band, of North Myrtle Beach, S.C., will provide music until 11:30. Thielen will man the drums while the musicians he brings together from throughout North Carolina and surrounding states sing and play a selection of popular songs from the 1940s up to the present. Proceeds of the ball will go to the VGCC Endowment Fund, which has awarded more than 5,000 scholarships since 1982. Celebration of VGCC’s 40th aniversary will continue on Saturday, Oct. 10, Please see BALL, page 4A
Index Our Hometown . . . . . 2A Business & Farm. . . . 5A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . 6A Light Side . . . . . . . . . 7A Sports. . . . . . . . . . 1-4B Faith. . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5C Comics . . . . . . . . . . . 6C Classifieds. . . . . . . 7-9C
50 cents
Oxford mayor candidates ask for votes By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer
OXFORD — Residents saw not a two but a three-candidate field for mayor at a pre-election forum for municipal candidates. With departing City Commissioner Steve Powell having decided hours earlier Thursday to declare himself a write-in candidate for the top position, voters will now be choosing between him, Mayor Al Woodlief and two-time challenger Frank Strickland. The public got the chance to hear the trio at an evening gathering held at the Public Works Complex and sponsored by the
Granville “If you’ve County been excited Chamber about the of Comnew busimerce and nesses that the County have been Human coming to Relations Oxford over Woodlief Powell Strickland Commission. the past few Voters on months, I asNov. 3 will decide who they want sure you the next year will not let to be the city’s chief executive for you down,” Woodlief said. the next two years. Although Woodlief did not Woodlief, who spoke first, said, name names, a new Walmart “Oxford is not what it was 20, Supercenter opened the middle of 50 or 100 years ago. And it will last month off U.S. 15 near Intercontinue to change in the future state 85 and a new Walgreens is if we embrace the challenges as nearing completion at the corner they come.” of Linden Avenue and Hillsboro
Street. Woodlief told the forum audience he wants Oxford to be the beautiful, friendly and safe city “that I know it to be.” “That requires a lot of hard work by a lot of people. And I can assure you that I have and will continue to work hard to deliver the quality of life that Oxford citizens deserve,” Woodlief said. And Woodlief said, “When citizens interact with city representatives, they must feel that they have been treated fairly and in a timely manner.” Additionally, Woodlief said OxPlease see MAYOR, page 4A
Colorful sign of the season Hopefuls have say
at Oxford forum
Election event draws 10 of 13 vying for four commission seats By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer
Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE
Leaves begin their annual color change on this maple tree off Chestnut Street Friday afternoon. Little signs of Autumn have begun with fall foilage hitting its peak around mid-October.
Bible verses banned from Ga. school football field banners By DORIE TURNER Associated Press Writer
FORT OGLETHORPE, Ga. — When the Warriors of Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High take the field Friday night, the football team won’t be running through the cheerleaders’ usual banner bearing a Today Bible verse. The school district Cloudy banned the banners last High: 80 week over concerns they Low: 49 were unconstitutional and could provoke a lawsuit, angering many in the deepSunday ly religious north Georgia town of Fort Oglethorpe. Sunny “I’m just kind of unHigh: 80 nerved about it,” said Low: 53 18-year-old Cassandra Cooksey, a recent graduDetails, 3A ate who often prayed with her fellow marching band members before football games. “It seems like the majority of people in our Emporia, Va. community want this and James E. Harris, Sr., 82 they don’t have a problem Henderson with it, so I think they Clarence E. Hargrove Sr., 59 should be allowed to have
Weather
Deaths
James R. Hoyle Jr., 61 William A. Terry Oxford Walter T. Green, 69 Sidney Sanford Warrenton Alphonso Twisdale, 74
www.hendersondispatch.com
the signs if they want to.” The move has galvanized the community. Hundreds of people attended a rally this week supporting the signs, which included messages such as: “Commit to the Lord, whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Many students attended class Friday wearing shirts with Bible verses and painted their cars with messages that read: “Warriors for Christ.” “When you get a whole bunch of teenagers mad, this is what happens. We stand up for what believe in,” 16-year-old Shelby Rouse said over the roar of a pre-game pep rally. The 900-student school began running through the Biblical banners shortly after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, and school Principal Jerry Ransom said he enthusiastically supported it then. But Catoosa County schools Superintendent Denia Reese banned the practice after a parent
complained. Reese said the school board’s attorney advised her the signs violated federal law because they were being displayed by the cheerleaders during a school-sponsored event. “I regret that the cheerleaders cannot display their signs in the football stadium without violating the First Amendment,” Reese said in a statement. “I rely on reading the Bible daily, and I would never deny our students the opportunity to express their religious beliefs.” The Anti-Defamation League, a human rights group, sent a letter to Reese commending the ban. “There are legal ways for students to have religious observation in a school context and there are illegal ways, and we believe Reese is correct that the football game crosses a line,” said Bill Nigut, the group’s southeast regional director.
OXFORD — Ten of the 13 candidates seeking election to four City Commission positions participated in an extensive preelection forum in which residents got a first-time chance to see who they will be considering in the Nov. 3 election. Oxford’s electorate will have to decide who should replace departing incumbents Paul Kiesow, Steve Powell, Bob Shope and Chance Wilkinson. Oxford’s seven-member commission serves staggered four-year terms. The forum, held Thursday evening at the Public Works Complex, was sponsored by the Granville County Chamber of Commerce and the County Human Relations Committee. Here is a summary what of the attending candidates, in alphabetical
order, had to say: • Jim Branch, who is retired from sales and marketing in the foundry and automotive industry, said, “I think we need a good dose of common sense and we need fiscal responsibility.” Branch said he believes Oxford needs openness in government and to solicit the input of all citizens. “And our obligation is to listen with an open mind and to be open to change and to pursue change where necessary,” Branch added. • Ron Bullock is retired from working two decades for Burlington Industries and is presently a parttime instructor for VanceGranville Community College. “I enjoy being a part of looking at the issues and dealing with them and addressing them,” Bullock said. Please see FORUM, page 3A
N.C. applies for $5 billion for high-speed rail
RALEIGH (AP) — North Carolina has applied to the Obituaries, 4A federal government for more than $5 billion to improve rail service between Charlotte and Washington. Gov. Beverly Perdue announced Friday state officials had applied for the second round of federal stimulus
funds for high-speed rail projects. The recovery law had $8 billion in competitive highspeed rail grants nationwide. State rail division director Pat Simmons says North Carolina’s application includes a joint plan with Virginia to improve the cor-
ridor between Charlotte and Richmond, Va. Simmon says the application also seeks money to add second tracks between Raleigh and Charlotte to increase rail traffic volume and to provide a more direct northbound route out of Raleigh to Virginia.
KVA Queen
Daily Dispatch/EARL KING
Bailey Hughes, daughter of Art and Heidi Hughes of Henderson, was crowned 2009 Homecoming Queen during halftime festivities Friday night at Kerr-Vance Academy.