The Daily Dispatch - Thursday, October 8, 2009 by The Daily Dispatch

CMYK Oxford Walgreens opens Friday

State school chief women’s group speaker Webb soccer downs Northern Vance, 3-0

Local News, Page 4A

Business & Farm, Page 5A

Sports, Page 1B THURSDAY, October 8, 2009

Volume XCV, No. 236

(252) 436-2700

www.hendersondispatch.com

50 cents

Southern Vance soccer bus hit by car during road trip No serious injuries from accident, which causes postponement of game By ERIC S. ROBINSON Dispatch Sports Editor

A bus carrying Southern Vance High School soccer players to a match in Chapel Hill was rear-ended on Interstate 85 Wednesday. The blue Vance County bus was struck from behind by a Saturn, which became wedged underneath the bus. “In my 28 years of coaching, I’ve never been involved in anything like that before,” said Southern Vance soccer coach Mike Rotolo, who was driving the bus. “I’m so glad nobody got hurt.” Rotolo said it took a couple of hours, two tow trucks and flooring the bus accelerator to dislodge the Saturn from underneath the bus.

The wreck occurred on Interstate 85 South near the Redmill Road bridge, The (Durham) Herald-Sun reported. Rotolo said he was traveling about 55 mph, and had not applied the brakes before he heard the impact. “I didn’t know if we backfired, but I could feel a jolt,” he said. Rotolo didn’t realize the vehicle was stuck underneath the bus until he came to a stop and surveyed the wreckage. He said that a sheriff’s deputy, who heard the noise, reported to the wreck, and within a short time more officers, paramedics and a fire engine were on the scene. The driver of the Saturn was reportedly cited for a traffic offense. The soccer match against

Chapel Hill High School, which was scheduled to start at 6 p.m., was postponed and has been tentatively rescheduled for Oct. 15. Southern Vance soccer players returned to Henderson before 7 p.m., and were at the school before the conclusion of the Southern Vance-Durham Riverside volleyball match. Rotolo admitted he was “a little nervous” following the accident because his neck and back felt a stiff. “I’m definitely going to go get checked out,” he said. Southern Vance has a home soccer match with J.F. Webb scheduled for tonight at 6 p.m. Contact the writer at erobinson@ hendersondispatch.com.

Contributed photo

Southern Vance soccer players didn’t make it to their scheduled game in Chapel Hill Wednesday night because the driver of a Saturn passenger car rear-ended the bus on Interstate 85 in Durham.

LEAF to weigh 21 local projects

Troubled motel may reopen — with conditions Special use permit granted, but business will be monitored

$2 million in grant money on the line

By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer

By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer

The panel responsible for recommending projects for Golden LEAF Foundation grants totaling roughly $2 million will meet Oct. 21 to question the initial top-five applicants and hear 10-minute presentations from them. The scoring results from a process that members of the selection committee recently completed were presented to them Wednesday night when they met in the Civic Center at VanceGranville Community College. When they get together on Oct. 21, those on the panel will already have the written replies to specific questions answered in advance by the representatives for the projects. There is no guarantee that those who show up for the question-and-answer session will get anywhere close to what they are asking for, or even make the final cut when all is said and done. Many of the others on the lengthy list could still be in the running for some of the funding, depending on the outcome, according to Pat Cabe, vice-president of Programs/Community Assistance And Outreach with the foundation. Please see LEAF, page 3A

October mower

Sam Lewis cuts grass using a push mower along Chestnut Street Wednesday morning. The day started off cloudy and damp but quickly turned to clear skies, warm temperatures and gusty winds by mid-morning.

Index Our Hometown . . . . . 2A Public Records . . . . . 4A Business & Farm. . . . 5A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . 6A

Light Side . . . . . . . . . 7A Sports. . . . . . . . . . 1-4B Comics . . . . . . . . . . . 5B Classifieds. . . . . . . 6-7B

Deaths

Weather Today

Please see MOTEL, page 3A

Jeremy Turner is city’s firefighter of the year From STAFF REPORTS

Fire Lt. Jeremy Turner is the Henderson Fire Department’s Firefighter of the Year for 2009. Nice Turner, an employee High: 77 of the city since NovemLow: 50 ber 2000, was honored Wednesday night at the Friday Obituaries, 4A department’s annual banquet. He started in fire service Mixed as a volunteer with the High: 85 LaCrosse, Va., VolunLow: 67 teer Fire Department. Details, 3A In Henderson, he was promoted on Jan. 27, 2005,

Butner Mildred L. Abbott, 71 Henderson James E. Norwood, 73 Newark, N.J. Johnny R. Cooper, 67

Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE

The Zoning Board of Adjustment granted a special use permit for the reopening of the former America’s Best Value Inn, with a list of extensive and strict requirements. And City Attorney John Zollicoffer said the motel operator would still have to obtain a permit from the building inspector and to receive the okay from the fire marshal. The board on Tuesday afternoon cast a 4-1 vote for the permit after taking a tour of the property at 200 Parham Road and after approximately an hour of discussion and questioning at City Hall. Board member Thomas Badger was the lone dissenter. Board member Ruxton Bobbitt, in leading the vote, said, “I’ve never seen anything like this,” a reference to his having served the past 12 years, except for an approximately 18-month period. “What I saw today is a very old building that could be brought up to code and they could legally reopen it, but for me to make a motion to approve, it would be based on a tremendous amount of conditions, none cosmetic,

because you can’t enforce that,” Bobbitt said. Those conditions are as follows: • The motel operator will provide air quality test results satisfactory to state health code levels. • A security camera system will be installed to monitor the entire facility. • The motel will be allowed to use the first floor, subject to an engineerapproved closing procedure of the second floor of the two-story building. The motel management said more time is needed to work on the second floor before a reopening. The top level had been closed off to all but the property manager and a couple of others after a fire. • The second floor will not be occupied or rented until the entire building is approved by the fire marshal, the fire inspector and Vance County’s code enforcement arm. • There must be documentation showing the property is cleared of building code violations by the county’s code enforcement arm. • There must be documentation of approval of the building and the swimming pool by county health officials.

to Fire Engineer. On May 1, he was promoted to his current position as Fire Lieutenant. Turner is also a firefighter with the Corinth Volunteer Fire Department in Granville County. An N.C. certified fire instructor, he also is a state certified paramedic. Turner and his wife Daphanie are expecting their first child in November. Send comments to news@ hendersondispatch.com.

Contributed photo

Henderson Fire Lt. Jeremy Turner, left, on Wednesday night was named the department’s Firefighter of the Year by Chief Danny Wilkerson, right.

Our Hometown

The Daily Dispatch

Mark It Down Today Shriners’ meeting — The Henderson Shrine Club meets at 6:30 p.m. at the Henderson Masonic Lodge #229, 401 Brodie Road, Henderson. Dinner will be served, followed by the business meeting. Crime Stoppers — The Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers 2009 Annual Awards Banquet will be held at 6:30 p.m. at South Henderson Pentecostal Holiness Church. Crime Stoppers will be naming the recipients of the Sam Pearson Memorial Crime Stoppers Law Enforcement Award and the Tom Long Memorial award. Awards will also be given to Community Watch organizations, a local citizen who has supported Crime Stoppers, and businesses and industries, among others. Tickets are $10 and includes a barbecue chicken dinner with the trimmings and a beverage. Tickets are available from The Screen Master, Carolina Lanes, Flowers Funeral Home, the Henderson Police Department, South Henderson Pentecostal Holiness Church, The Daily Dispatch and any member of the Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers board of directors. Door prizes will also be awarded. Parks and Recreation — The Henderson-Vance Parks and Recreation Commission will meet at noon at the Aycock Recreation Center, 307 Carey Chapel Road. NAACP event — The Youth Council of the Vance County Branch of the NAACP will hold a membership drive at Davis Chapel Baptist Church, 742 N. Chestnut St., Henderson from 6-7:30 p.m. Youth ages 10-19 are eligible to join. Free memberships will be given to the first 25 interested youth. Free food will be available and gifts and door prizes will be given away. For more information, contact Elnora O’Hara at 431-0708 or Vivian Bullock at (252) 213-0218. Chess Club — The Henderson/Vance Chess Club, affiliated with the U. S. Chess Federation, meets at the First United Methodist Church from 6 to 9:30 p.m. All are welcome, adults and youths, novice or experienced. For more information, call Rudy Abate at 438-4459 (days) or 738-0375 (evenings). Retired school personnel — The Vance County Unit of the N.C. Retired School Personnel will meet at 11 a.m. at the Western Sizzlin on Ruin Creek Road in Henderson. Terri Hedrick with Vance County Schools will be the guest speaker. Each member is asked to bring a prospective member. For information or to request transportation, call Louise Kelley at 438-8071 or W.T. Ramey III at 492-3096. Blood drive — The American Red Cross will be hosting a blood drive at J.F. Webb High School from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For more information about local blood drives or to learn more about volunteer opportunities, please contact Twanna Jones, Granville-Vance Branch Manager at (252) 438-4813 or (919) 693-6550 or email JonesTJ@usa.redcross.org. Lions Club — The Henderson Lions Club will meet at 6 p.m. at the Salvation Army. This will be a dinner feeding our 61 VIPs. Anyone who is interested in becoming a member of the Henderson Lions Club, please contact Randy Oxendine at oxendine@nc.rr.com.

Friday ACTS fundraiser — Area Christian Together in Service (ACTS) is holding a barbecue chicken fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church. Tickets are $7 and meals will include one-half of a barbecued chicken, cole slaw, potato salad, bread and cake. Eat-in plates are available and will include a beverage. Take-out is available and ACTS is arranging for delivery of large orders to businesses. To purchase tickets, contact Melvin Green or Copper Rain at ACTS at (252) 492-8231. Weight loss group — TOWN (Take Off Weight Now), a non-profit weight loss group, will meet at Aycock Recreation Center at 11:30 a.m. Everyone is invited to attend. Exercise class — The Vance County Senior Center will offer an eight-week exercise class beginning today from 10-11 a.m. which is designed specifically for those who suffer with arthritis. Anyone interested in participating in the class should contact the senior center to register, as space is limited. All of the classes take place at the same time, but on different days. A schedule of the class dates will be presented at the first class. Call the senior center at 430-0257 to register and for further information.

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Students and instructors in the criminal justice program at Vance-Granville Community College recently completed a service project to collect supplies for local children in foster care. VGCC students coordinated the project with the departments of social services in Vance and Warren counties. Donations will benefit children in the foster care system in those counties. The project is an example of “service-learning,” an innovative teaching and learning strategy that integrates community service with academic instruction. Among the items donated by college students, faculty, staff and members of the community were school supplies such as book bags, paper and pencils; comfort items such as teddy bears; and hygiene products like toothpaste, toothbrushes and shampoo. In addition,

Students involved in the project included (front row, from left) Etasha Cheek, Rashunda Henderson, Tiffany Branch, Amanda Carroll, Keysha Towler, Jay Boyer and Derrick Knight; (back row, from left) VGCC Administrative Assistant for Business and Applied Technologies Betty Jo Ellis, Tommy Overcash, Winfred Crawford, Brandon Ray, Criminal Justice instructor Andrea Ferguson, Raymond Dunn, William Yarbrough and Charlotte Hedgepeth. $110 in cash was donated, which will be used to buy gift cards that will be distributed

to the social services agencies. The agencies will be able to use the gift cards to buy

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needed items for children, once the donated supplies are exhausted.

Free rabies clinic offered to Warren County residents Citizens for Animal Protection of Warren County (CAP) is sponsoring a free rabies clinic for Warren County cats and dogs on Saturday, Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will be held at the Warrenton Lions Club Parking Lot, 249 W. Ridgeway St. Vaccinations will be administered by Dr. Laureen Bartfield and her staff. The clinic is also offered to those with a Littleton address. Organizers of the clinic have asked that the following

guidelines be observed: • People should remain in their vehicles with their pets. A volunteer will come to the car. • One-year and three-year vaccines will be available. To receive a three-year vaccine, the owner must show a valid rabies certificate; a tag on a pet’s collar is not sufficient proof of vaccination. • Cats must be in a carrier. • There is a limit of 10 animals per vehicle.

In North Carolina, if a pet does not have a current rabies shot and is exposed to a rabid animal, the pet must be killed or quarantined for six months at the owner’s expense. State law requires that all dogs and cats over four months of age be vaccinated. Rabies is a disease caused by a virus that can infect all mammals, including humans. It is usually contracted by a bite and is almost always fatal to animals and people once signs of the disease appear.

Senior center plans trip to state fair in Raleigh The Vance County Senior Center is coordinating a trip to the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh on Tuesday, Oct. 20. Tuesday is the Senior Citizen Fun Festival at the state fair with free breakfast from Bojangles and beach music entertainment at Dorton Arena from 9-11 a.m.

Cost of the trip is $9 and due at registration. Admission at the fair gates is free to those 65 and older. There is limited space and reservations are on a first-come, firstserved basis. Those interested may come by the senior center, located at 126 S. Garnett St.,

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between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. to register for the trip. The bus will depart at 7:30 a.m. and return at approximately 4 p.m. Participants must park in the public parking lot on Chestnut Street and meet the bus at the senior center. For more information, call the center at (252) 430-0257.

Life Calendar

Turkey shoot The Epsom Volunteer Fire Department will sponsor a turkey shoot on Friday, Oct. 16 from 7-11

p.m. A 50/50 raffle will be held and prizes will be awarded. All proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society’s Vance County Relay for Life.

Vance County Historical Society meeting scheduled The Vance County Historical Society meeting scheduled for Oct. 12 has been rescheduled for June 6, 2010. The meeting will

feature North Carolina author Robert Morgan, who will present a program about Daniel Boone and Judge Richard Hender-

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For humans, immediate treatment by a doctor after exposure will prevent development of the disease. Rabies is present in North Carolina. Since people’s pets may be exposed to rabies through contact with other animals, pets should be vaccinated against this disease by a veterinarian or a certified rabies vaccinator. Funds for this free rabies clinic were raised at the Citizens for Animal Protection’s “Pawfest” fundraiser.

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VGCC festival — The public is invited to the “Festival for the 40th,” which will be held at various indoor and outdoor locations on Vance-Granville Community College’s main campus from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in celebration of the college’s 40th anniversary. Planned activities include children’s games, a concert by the Vance-Granville Community Band, and a display of historical photographs, and a fashion show. Fire prevention — The City of Henderson Fire Department will hold its 2009 Fire Prevention Open House from 1-4 p.m. at the fire station at 205 N. Garnett St. Fire trucks will be on display and activities will include a safety smoke house, ID fingerprinting for children, games, free hot dogs and drinks, and visits from Sparky the Fire Dog, McGruff the Crime Dog and Smokey the Bear. Ridgeway Opry House — Performing this week are Julia Morton & Friends, Jackie Turner, Matt Nelson, Verlin Bailey, the Tri-County Bluegrass Band, Joyce Chisenhall and Frieda & Ellen with High Mountain Harmony. Doors open at 6 p.m. Music starts at 7 p.m. Coming Oct. 24, New Grace Bluegrass. Vance County Farmers’ market — The Vance County Farmers’ Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon. The market is located at the intersection of Williams and Arch streets in downtown Henderson. Vendors interested in selling at the market should contact Wayne Rowland at 438-8188. Warren County Farmers’ Market — The Warren County Farmer’s Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon at the corner of Market and Main streets in historic downtown Warrenton. All produce is locally grown by the vendors. For more information or to receive a vendor application, contact the Warren County Extension Center at 257-3640. Dee’s Music Barn — Dee’s Music Barn, 3101 Walters Road, Creedmoor, will be featuring Ace in the Hole featuring James Potreat at 7 p.m. For more information, call (919) 528-5878.

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From Page One

The Daily Dispatch

NATIONAL WEATHER

Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day. Seattle 60/44

Billings 36/22

Detroit Chicago 62/48 54/44

Minneapolis 48/29 San Francisco 68/52

Denver 44/29

Washington 72/55

Kansas City 66/41

Los Angeles 72/56

Atlanta 82/64

El Paso 78/53 Fairbanks 45/29

-10s

-0s

Houston 91/77 Honolulu 87/77

Anchorage 50/43

10s

20s

Miami 90/80

Hilo 84/71

Juneau 50/38

New York 70/58

30s

40s

Showers Rain T-storms Snow Flurries

50s

60s

70s

Ice

80s

90s

100s

110s

Stationary front

Cold front

Warm front

FIVE-DAY FORECAST FOR HENDERSON TODAY

TONIGHT

FRIDAY

85°

50°

77°

67°

Sunny and nice

Clear

Partly sunny

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

80°

67°

74°

53°

50°

Periods of rain

Mostly cloudy, rain possible

ALMANAC

SUN AND MOON

Temperature

Sunrise today ........................... 7:15 a.m. Sunset today ............................ 6:47 p.m. Moonrise today ........................ 9:36 p.m. Moonset today ....................... 11:58 a.m. Sunrise tomorrow ..................... 7:15 a.m. Sunset tomorrow ...................... 6:46 p.m. Moonrise tomorrow ................ 10:38 p.m. Moonset tomorrow ................... 1:00 p.m.

Raleigh-Durham through 6 p.m. yest. High .................................................... 83° Low ..................................................... 63° Normal high ........................................ 75° Normal low ......................................... 52° Record high ............................ 93° in 1951 Record low .............................. 36° in 1964

Moon Phases

Precipitation 24 hours through 6 p.m. yest. ......... 0.01” Month to date .................................. 0.11” Normal month to date ..................... 0.83” Year to date ................................... 26.44” Normal year to date ...................... 34.69”

Last

New

First

Full

Oct 11

Oct 18

Oct 25

Nov 2

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

WinstonSalem

Asheville

Henderson

Greensboro

77/57

78/54

77/50

Rocky Mt.

77/51

74/57

Durham

Raleigh

78/51

Charlotte

78/57

Cape Hatteras

Fayetteville

78/58

69/62

77/58

LAKE LEVELS

Wilmington

78/58

Elevation in feet above sea level. Data as of 7 a.m. yesterday. 24-Hr. Lake Capacity Yest. Change Gaston 203 199.68 -0.02 Kerr 320 293.97 +0.03

24-Hr. Capacity Yest. Change 240 212.98 -0.02 264 248.19 -0.05

Lake Jordan Neuse Falls

REGIONAL CITIES Today

Fri.

Today

Fri.

City

Hi Lo W Hi Lo W

City

Hi Lo W Hi Lo W

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

78 74 79 77 78 76 78 74 77 77 78 74 77 78 76

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

76 76 78 80 80 75 71 78 78 74 77 77 78 78 77

54 54 51 54 66 55 51 55 52 58 57 57 59 56 50

s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s

82 75 85 82 84 83 85 87 83 87 86 82 82 86 79

59 59 62 65 63 63 65 66 59 68 69 64 63 68 60

pc pc pc pc t pc pc s c pc s pc pc s c

53 56 53 56 63 60 62 55 57 57 54 51 52 58 57

s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s

83 87 86 89 87 82 82 86 84 88 84 85 85 86 84

63 69 70 68 70 72 73 68 63 64 67 70 65 70 64

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

Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice

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The first four projects tentatively chosen total $1.6 million in funding. The amounts sought and the related applicants are: • $700,000 for Henderson/Vance Downtown Development Commission and Gateway Community Development Corporation. The money is for the Recreation, Economic Development, Education and Family (REEF) Project. • $72,166 for Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central North Carolina. The grant is for the After School Program with a Smarter Fun in the Summer component. • $662,690 for Vance County Schools. The funds would be for computers for The Innovative Project (I’m Innovative. I’m Creative. I’m Competitive.) • $180,000 for Vance County. The money is for the Rural Fire Hydrant Program. There is some

Evaluating the hopefuls Applicant/Proposal/Request Amount

Score

1. The Recreation, Economic Development, Education and Family Project (REEF): $700,000 7.03 2. BGCNCNC After School Program with a Smarter Fun in the Summer Component: $72,166 6.95 3. Vance Schools’ “Innovative” project (including laptop computers for students): $662,690 6.30 4. Rural Fire Hydrant Program: $180,000 6.21 5. Emergency Services Communication and Water System: $2 million 6.12 6. Green Rural Redevelopment Construction Project: $387,417 5.92 7. Kittrell Sewer Project: $250,000 5.62 8. Setting Vance Middle School Students on Paths to Success in School and in Life: $289,000 5.51 9. Marketing Support for Vance County Economic Development: $60,000 5.47 10. Community Workforce Solutions Inc. Project Retention: $24,650 5.39 11. Promotion/Marketing of Local Farm Products and Farmers Markets: $10,000 5.28 12. Carver Elementary School Water Line: $700,570 4.89 13. H. Leslie Perry Memorial Library Homework and Career Assistance Center: $76,300 4.88 14. Two-Way Radio Replacement for rural fire service: $192,214 4.43 15. East Coast Drag Racing Hall of Fame: $2,000,000 4.01 16. The Faith to Freedom Project Inc.-Hope Academy: $102,000 17. UV Disinfection System Replacement-Henderson Water Reclamation Facility: $500,000 3.91 18. Sanitary Sewer Replacement Project: $250,000 3.47 19. Whole Village Community Center: $905,000 3.06 20. Life Line Outreach Inc.-Get Ready for Success: $60,000 2.46 21. Holy Faith Temple-Portfolio Prep. to Advance Standing for Life and Learning Experience: $380,000 1.89 duplication between this project proposal and the fifth one on the short list that will initially be considered by the committee

of 21 members. At No. 5, the entire $2 million was sought for the Vance County Lifesaving and Rescue Squad, Emer-

gency Services Communication and Water System.

“We are in half-deep water up to here,” Sheth said under questioning from another board member, Cathy Ringley, about finances. “We don’t have a way to back out, obviously.” Sheth, while acknowledging the situation is a mess, noted more than $100,000 has been invested in a nearly complete fire alarm system and said he and his boss will overcome the troubles. Fire Chief Danny Wilkerson told board that, “They didn’t cut any corners on the fire alarm system, I got to give ’em that,” and added that the system is “top notch.” At the same time, Wilkerson said the second floor should not be closed without an engineer presenting a plan. The building is designed such that, if one blocks off some of the areas to the upstairs, then one simultaneously is blocking off some of the exits from the first floor, Wilkerson said. Additionally, City Planning Director Erris Dunston presented the board with E-911 records showing there have been 267 calls for service to the property dating back to January 2007. That prompted Ringley to question Simmons about what would be done to relieve the burden on the police. Simmons said plans include 16 cameras and a system in which the doors to the front would automatically lock at 9 p.m., with late arrivers having to check in at a window. And, Simmons added, “I made a ban list” of potential

troublemakers based on a check of past records of motel guest files and said guests would have to be age 21 to check in for a room. And Steth said the motel would have a security person at night. Ringley remained concerned prior to the vote, noting the $45 pricing strategy and the ban list in saying: “They’re not targeting this hotel, this motel toward people coming off of the interstate, are they? I mean, they’re looking at, basically, a place where you go over to Ambassador Inn, you hang out, andthen you party.” The Ambassador Inn & Suites is across Parham Road from the former America’s Best Value Inn. Simmons afterward told the Dispatch said she was pleased with the board’s decision, adding that, “We have a lot of hope” and that, “We’ll do everything else to comply.” Badger afterward told the Dispatch, “I don’t believe what they told me” and cited the E-911 records. “And it’s a dump,” Badger added. “I don’t think it’s doing Henderson any good,” said Badger, who favors condemning the property and tearing down the building. Board member Duane Townes was absent from the meeting. Board member Richard Brand had to abstain because, under the board rules, he was not present for the previous meeting in which the matter was discussed and tabled.

Contact the writer at awheless@hendersondispatch.com.

MOTEL, from page one • The motel must have an established rate sheet. • The motel will be subject to a bi-annual inspection of the second floor, with the details to be reported back to the city staff. • Police will monitor the property on a regular basis. • And if there is a resumption of the pattern of numerous calls to Emergency 911, then police will have the ability to declare the property a nuisance and take appropriate action. • The motel management will have to comply with all conditions set by Henderson’s technical review committee, which include not letting the property be an extended stay facility and not allowing cooking in rooms. The Fire Department on June 15 shut down the motel for safety violations after responding to an anonymous complaint about unsafe conditions. The action additionally came the day after a fatal shooting on the property. Police Chief Keith Sidwell called the location “a flophouse.” Appearing before the board on Tuesday were Tara Chand, of Miami and who is the new operator, Ken Sheth, who is the manager, and Eula Simmons, who is the assistant manager. The three said they would bring the property up to code and additionally said cosmetic improvements would be made to the property, but they faced questions and statements from board members. Bobbitt said, “It’s difficult for me to go through that

building and look past a lot of cosmetic problems, issues, air quality, code violations.” Board member Marchita Vann pressed Chand about what he is willing to do for the property and how much he is willing to spend, noting, “We saw mold in there. It needs to be painted. It’s dusty. You have a lot of problems.” Chand said he is ready to do whatever is required, noting, “We have a couple of hundred thousand” dollars budgeted for an upgrade and noting he has spoken with a bank, which he said is ready to provide financing. And Sheth later added, “Please believe me, my boss is never so stingy not to spend money. He will spend money.” The motel, which is located off Interstate 85 and North Garnett Street, was once part of the Howard Johnson chain. And Sheth said he would like to bring the location back to the status of a Howard Johnson. Sheth said the eventual plan is for 110 rooms at a 60-percent occupancy rate, with Simmons saying the daily rate would be $45, plus tax. “We’re going to need something to bring in business,” Simmons said of setting this charge for a room. Badger expressed concerns about the financial plan, with Sheth agreeing, but maintaining no one in the motel business turns a profit in the first few years in operation and noting the need for time to build a good reputation.

Contact the writer at bwest@ hendersondispatch.com.

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Local News

The Daily Dispatch

Deaths Mildred L. Abbott BUTNER — Mildred Long Abbott, 71, of 702 West “D” St., died Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009, at Durham Regional Hospital. A native of Nash County, she was the daughter of the late Edward F. and Lulabelle Coley Long. She was of the Baptist faith and retired after 37 years at Murdoch Center. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday in the Eakes Funeral Chapel in Creedmoor by the Rev. Wesley Holder. Burial will be in Carolina Memorial Gardens. Surviving are a son, Edward C. Abbott “Margaret” of Butner; a sister, Joyce L. Dennis, and a brother, Dan Whitfield, both of Franklinton; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Visitation will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. today in the Eakes Funeral Home in Creedmoor and at other times at 704 West “D” St., Butner, N.C. 27509. Arrangements are by Eakes Funeral Home of Creedmoor.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Charter school likes Clark Street location for start up By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer

for even a short period of time, she said, “the repair costs associated with vandalism and non-attention would be very high.” The Vance Commissioners agreed Monday night to have their Property Committee consider the charter school’s proposal, and to report back with a recommendation at the full board’s regular meeting on Nov. 2. “I can’t think of a better use for it,” Commissioner Danny Wright said of the Clark Street building. “I also applaud your efforts and I’m willing to support your use of the site on a temporary basis,” Commissioner Deborah Brown told the charter school officials. Commissioner Eddie Wright voiced approval of their plans to begin with a fourth grade containing more than 100 students. He said that is a good age in terms of helping children learn life and social skills, as well as academic subjects. In other business, the Commissioners approved submission of a $40,000 grant application to the Abandoned Manufactured Home Clean-up Program. The grant would be used to help begin the County’s Abandoned Manufactured Home Abatement Program in the current fiscal year. According to a plan adopted in June and amended in July by the Board of Commissioners, the program would indirectly offer a financial incentive to remove the units from properties throughout Vance.

The plan states that “Measures will be taken to ensure that all demolition debris is properly disposed of, or recycled at designated demolition sites.” It also said “The goal of the program is to reduce the number of properties that pose a threat to the health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of Vance County.” The proposal to submit the application was presented to the board Monday night by Planning Director Jordan McMillen. In other business, the Commissioners approved a resolution to accompany the County’s application to the North Carolina Rural Center for a $40,000 planning grant for a proposed sewer line along Raleigh Road. There is a requirement of a 10 percent match, which amounts to $4,400. The five- or six-mile stretch under consideration would start just outside the Henderson city limits, and would run along U.S. 1 to Kittrell. Also Monday night, the Commissioners approved the Board of Eduction’s request for ADM funds totaling $47,720 for renovation work at 10 schools. In other business, the board agreed to allow filling of these position vacancies: • A Detective Sergeant in the Sheriff’s Office. • A Social Worker II in the Work First Unit of Social Services. • A Detention Officer in the jail.

Officials of the new Henderson Collegiate Charter School asked Vance Commissioners Monday night for use of the Clark Street Elementary School building as a three-year site after it is abandoned at the end of this school year. Appearing before the commissioners were Nancy Jo Smith, chairwoman of the board of directors; Dr. Cornelius Cathcart, a board member; and Eric Sanchez, co-founder and school planner. They told the County board members that the Charter School would accept the Clark Street property “as is,” would maintain it in good condition at their own expense, and would be willing to share the facility with the Boys & Girls Club, which is looking for space. In an Aug. 26 letter to County Manager Jerry Ayscue, Smith said the charter school’s board of directors hopes it will eventually become a tenant Johnny R. Cooper in the proposed Zene Street/ REEF tobacco warehouse NEWARK — Johnny conversion project. “We would propose ocRay Cooper, 67, died Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009, cupancy on July 1, 2010, which corresponds with the in Newark, N.J. He was born in Vance County and completion date scheduled by Vance County Schools was the son of the late Norman and Rosa Lee Har- for its new elementary school,” she wrote. grove Cooper. Saying that “the inner He attended New Hope city children are our target Elementary School and population,” Smith referred was a 1960 graduate of to the Clark Street propthe former Henderson erty as “an ideal temporary Institute High School. He location.” joined Woodsworth Baptist Contact the writer at awheIf the Clark Street site is Church at an early age and allowed to become vacant less@hendersondispatch.com. later moved to New Jersey. He retired from H&J Trucking Company after many years of service as a truck driver. Funeral services will Carol Hively said the comIn Oxford, CVS has a By WILLIAM F. WEST be conducted at 2 p.m. pany, which is the nation’s location with a remodeled Daily Dispatch Writer Friday at Woodsworth drugstore chain, had looked exterior at Williamsboro and Baptist Church by the Rev. at Oxford. Lanier streets at the eastern OXFORD — Walgreens Glendora Hargrove. Burial will open for business on In October 2007, Mayor edge of the central business will follow in the church Al Woodlief told this redistrict. Friday, with a grand opencemetery. porter that Walgreens was Walgreens becomes the ing to be in two weeks, said Survivors include three eyeing Oxford’s central second major chain business Tanya Weary, assistant to daughters, Arlene Cooper to open a new store in Oxthe city manager/downtown business district as a place to build a new store. Hively ford in less than a month. Turner of Henderson, Andevelopment director. at the time said she could On Sept. 16, the ribbon gela Cooper of Oxford and The Walgreens is at the not confirm or deny Woodwas cut on the Walmart Tara Cooper of New Jersey; corner of Hillsboro Street lief’s statement. Supercenter off U.S. 15 near two sons Christopher Coo- and Linden Avenue at the In June 2008, Hively said the Interstate 85 intersouthwestern edge of the per and Radney Johnson, Walgreens would have a change. central business district. both of New Jersey; and store in Oxford sometime The supercenter reWeary said the project nine grandchildren. in 2010. placed a box-like Wal-Mart represents an investment The body will be on view For northern Granville discount store at Granville of more than $5 million into at the funeral home from County residents, the nearCorners at Linden Avenue the Oxford community. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and at the est Walgreens is at Oxford and Industry Drive near Word of a new Walgreens church one hour before the I-85. in Oxford had been circulat- Road and Dabney Drive service. in Henderson. That store ing at least as far back as The family will receive Contact the writer at bwest@ is just yards away from a the spring of 2007. Thenfriends at the residence of hendersondispatch.com. competing CVS pharmacy. Walgreens spokeswoman Pete and Bernice Wilkins, 365 Morgan Road. Funeral arrangements Contaminated groundwater found near ash ponds in N.C. are by Davis-Royster FuCHARLOTTE (AP) — examples of testing near It’s often mixed with water neral Service. An environmental group the ponds that showed and piped into open basays state data show all pollutants exceeded state sins. The practice is under James E. Norwood 13 coal-ash ponds owned standards. scrutiny after a ruptured by two utilities in North Duke and North Carolidike in Tennessee spilled HENDERSON — James Carolina have contaminat- na environmental officials 5 million cubic yards of Edward “Ed” Norwood, ed groundwater nearby. say they see no evidence sludge in December. 73, of 182 Willow Oak The Charlotte Observer contaminated groundwaDrive, Henderson, died reported that Appalachian ter is flowing from the Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009, Voices analyzed the data ponds to neighborhoods. about groundwater near Coal-burning plants in Keysville, Va. the ponds owned by Duke leave behind ash, which Funeral arrangements will be announced by Flow- Energy and Progress Ener- is filled with metals that gy. Its report detailed 681 can be toxic at high levels. ers Funeral Home.

Oxford Walgreens opens Friday

VANCE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE Arrests • Jerry Oren Million Jr., 33, of 2180 Smith Road, Oxford, was served with an order for arrest on Oct. 5. Misdemeanor failure to appear on charge of driving while license revoked. Bond was set at $1,000. Court date Nov. 17. • Siell Omar Allen, 19, of Hilliard St. was served with an order for arrest on Oct. 6. Misdemeanor failure to appear. Bond was set at $600. Court date Nov. 3. • Kenneth S. McConnell, 26, of 1823 S. Clearview Drive was served with an order for arrest on Oct. 6. Misdemeanor larceny. Bond was set at $1,000. Court date Oct. 20. • Patrick Terry, 22, of 8428 Hicksboro Road was arrested Oct. 6. Misdemeanor assault on a female. Misdemeanor injury to personal property. No bond. Court date Oct. 27. • Williard Ray Dement Jr., 27, was served with an order for arrest on Oct. 6. Failure to appear on a charge of misdemeanor

larceny in Wake County. Bond was set at $1,600. Court date Nov. 9. • Penny A. Horton, 44, 536 Abbott Road was served with an order for arrest on Oct. 6. Misdemeanor failure to appear on a charge of failing to return rental property. Misdemeanor failure to appear on show cause. Bond was set at $626. Court date Oct. 27.

Larceny • James Harris, 47, of 48 Allison Cooper Road reported Oct. 6 the theft of a Kawasaki dirt bike, value unknown. • Barbara Wallace, 47, of 1921 Bearpond Road reported Oct. 7 the theft from the residence of a Toshiba 42-inch flat panel TV valued at $1,100 and an Hewlett-Packard computer with 19-inch monitor valued at $500. • Tammy Jordan, 43, of 901 Chalk Level Road #G13 reported Oct. 6 the theft of N.C. license tag VRW-4103.

HENDERSON POLICE DEPARTMENT Arrests • William Davis, 28, of 600 E. Winder St. was arrested Oct. 2. Felony possession of a firearm by a felon. Felony assault with a deadly weapon. Misdemeanor discharging a firearm in the city. Bond was set at $50,000. Court date Oct. 24. • Viswanadham Kodavanti, 50, of 403 Foxborough Lane was arrested Oct. 4. Felony hit and run/failing to stop/personal injury. Bond was set at $10,000. Court date Nov. 24. • Brian Charles Richardson, 28, of 3512 Brentwood Road, Raleigh, was arrested Oct. 6. Felony possession of a stolen firearm. Bond was set at $5,000. Court date Oct. 27. • Bobby Antwan Jackson, 29, 744 Hillside Ave. was served with an order for arrest on Oct. 6. Misdemeanor failure to appear.

Bond was set at $1,000. Court date Nov. 9. • Reginald Lewis, 21, of 503 E. Montgomery St. was served with an order for arrest on Oct. 6. Misdemeanor failure to appear. • Tony Harris, 51, 647 Rockspring St. was arrested Oct. 5. Misdemeanor failure to stop at a stop sign. Misdemeanor no operator’s license. Felony possession of crack cocaine. Bond was set at $10.000. Court date Nov. 2.

Larceny • Powerscreen Mid-Atlantic Inc., 740 Inderneer Drive, Kernersville, reported Oct. 6 the theft from a vehicle at 385 Ruin Creek Road of an XM satellite radio unit valued at $350. Damage to a Pioneer GPS unit estimated at $750. Damage to the driver side window not estimated.

Official: Cooperate on offshore drilling RALEIGH (AP) — A leader of a General Assembly panel examining energy exploration off the North Carolina coast says the state should consider working with neighbors to ensure its interests are protected. Doug Rader with the Environmental Defense Fund in Raleigh said Wednesday that North Carolina needs to watch potential oil and natural gas drilling or alternative energy initatives off the coasts of Virginia or South Carolina. A oil and gas lease sale off the Virginia coast

is scheduled early next decade. Virginia’s state geologist told the offshore energy advisory panel two potential wind energy projects also are being discussed. Rader said it would be unfortunate if North Carolina has no say about projects that could affect negatively the North Carolina coast, or can’t share in profits in nearby ventures.

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Hagan backs amendment on Camp Lejeune water WILMINGTON (AP) — North Carolina’s junior senator has added an amendment in a bill to prevent the Navy from dismissing claims regarding water contamination at Camp Lejeune. Sen. Kay Hagan’s amendment, also sponsored by Republican Sen. Richard Burr, passed Tuesday night. It prevents the Navy from dismissing claims until two Centers for Disease Control studies are completed. The CDC’s health study and water model could take two years to complete. Hagan said the studies are critical to prove if the exposure to chemicals resulted in illnesses.

Garnes Funeral Home Welcomes Mary Faines

as a Funeral Assistant. Mary will be serving Henderson and the surrounding areas. In your time of need call Mary Faines at

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maryfaines.garnesfuneralservice@yahoo.com We are located at 806 East Andrews Ave. • Henderson

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Business & Farm

The Daily Dispatch

State school chief women’s group 3rd anniversary guest OXFORD — Superintendent of Public Instruction June S. Atkinson will be guest speaker next month when the Granville County Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Business group celebrates its third anniversary. The anniversary event will be held Tuesday, Nov. 10, at noon in Oxford Baptist Church’s Family Life Center and also will feature the Outstanding Businesswoman of the Year presentation. Three years ago, with a grant provided by Time Warner Cable, the chamber held a kickoff meeting to get a feel for the formation of a women’s group. Since the initial meeting, quarterly Women in Business meetings have offered a variety of program topics. The meeting’s speaker, Atkinson has held her po-

sition since 2005. She was re-elected in 2008. She is the first woman elected to the post and oversees more than 1.4 million students in over 2,300 public schools. Prior to being elected, Atkinson served in the Department of Public Instruction for nearly 30 years as a chief consultant and director in the areas of business education, career and technical education and instructional services. The Outstanding Businesswoman of the Year presentation will be made to a chamber member who haas demonstrated significant leadership at her company and who has promoted the advancement of women within her profession and community. Nomination forms are available on the chamber’s Web site, www.granvillechamber.com, or ast one of

the office locations. There will also be a display of hats which have been crocheted and knitted by North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women inmates for their children from whom they are separated. The H.A.T.S. (Handcrafted And Totally Special) project is part of the community outreach and education work of chamber member Our Children’s Place. Lunch reservations for the anniversary meeting are due by Tuesday, Oct. 27. The cost is $15 for chamber members and $18 for nonmembers. To make reservations, contact Wanda Garrett at 693-6125 or granvillechamber@embarqmail. com or Theresa Haithcock at 528-4994 or theresa@ granville-chamber.com.

Competitiveness, taxes topics for free VGCC business seminars Vance-Granville Community College’s Small Business Center has announced two free seminars aimed at business competitiveness and taxes. “Making Your Business More Competitive” will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3, from 9 a.m. to noon in room 7107 of Building 7 on the college’s main campus in Vance County. Harry Ponder of Asheville will lead the seminar, which is designed to help small business owners increase their viability by looking at their competitive strengths and weaknesses. Participants will learn how to examine what they are doing and what they

need to do in order to be more competitive and increase sales. Space for the seminar is limited. To reserve a seat, call the Small Business Center at (252) 738-3275 or 738-3240. “Tax Implications for Starting a Business” will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 4, from 6 to 9 p.m. on the college’s Franklin County Campus near Louisburg. The seminar is part of a state effort to help entrepreneurs and small business owners start their companies off on the right foot by complying with North Carolina tax laws from the beginning. Participants will learn

about a variety of topics, including the proper registration of a business, how to handle complicated withholding challenges and how to pay the right amount of property taxes. The seminar will give small business owners information they need to know about their state tax obligations, freeing up their time to focus on growing their businesses. Cliff Purvis of the North Carolina Department of Revenue will serve as the instructor. For more information and to register for the seminar, call the Franklin Campus at (919) 496-1567 or the Small Business Center.

MPMC adds surgeon at NCSA

N.C. Web company expanding in S.C.

Dr. Duane F. Tull, FACS, FASMBS joined Dr. Cynthia Robinson and Dr. Bob Noel at Northern Carolina Surgical Associates (NCSA) in September. He comes to Maria Parham Medical Center from Tull the Center for Bariatric and General Surgery at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pennsylvania. Tull completed his

undergraduate degree, a bachelor’s in chemistry, at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia. He then went on to earn his medical degree at Eastern Virginia Medical School. Tull specializes in both general and bariatric surgery. He and his wife have recently moved to the area from Pennsylvania. NCSA is located in the Medical Arts Plaza in Suite 206 behind the main hospital. Tull and the rest of the surgeons at NCSA may be reached at (252) 433-0430.

Local couple recognized by 4Life Research John and Mattie Nelson of Henderson were recently recognized by 4Life Research Inc. for their achievements as distributors with the company. The September/October 2009 edition of the company’s distributor magazine included a profile of the couple. 4Life Research Inc. researches and develops patented dietary supplements designed to boost the immune system. In the article, John Nelson cites his mother’s example as a nurse as the inspiration for his desire to help people enjoy better lives. He worked as an emergency medical technician prior to joining 4Life Research. The couple works together as a team with the company. For more information, contact the Nelsons at (252) 767-2168 or jcj1223@ yahoo.com.

Wayne Kinton Authorized Agent (252) 438-2635 wayne@cmiins.com

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Red Ventures, a North Carolina-based internet marketing and sales company is planning to relocate to South Carolina under an ambitious expansion plan that would create 1,000 jobs in coming years, state officials said Wednesday. The firm will move its headquarters and operations from Charlotte, N.C., to Lancaster County in South Carolina, the state Department of Commerce announced.

Call me for information on: • Individual Plans • Medicare Supplement Insurance • Dental Plans for Individuals • Health Savings Accounts

Area

A DAY ON WALL STREET

Dow Jones industrials

9,000 7,000 J

Pct. change from previous: -0.06%

A High 9,740.32

6,000

Low 9,675.62

Oct. 7, 2009

2,400

Nasdaq composite

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

+6.76 J

A High 2,110.33

Pct. change from previous: +0.32%

Standard & Poor’s 500 +2.86 J

Pct. change from previous: +0.27%

A High 1,058.02

1,400

Low 2,095.94

Oct. 7, 2009

1,057.58

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

8,000

-5.67

2,110.33

Stocks

10,000

Oct. 7, 2009

9,725.58

Thursday, October 8, 2009

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

Low 1,050.09

SOURCE: SunGard

MARKET ROUNDUP 100709: Market urrencies etals charts show Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq; stand-alone; 2c x 4 1/2 inches; 96 mm x 114 mm; staff Aluminum - $.8128 per lb., London Metal NEW YORK (AP) — Key currency exEditors: All figures as of: Exch. 5:25:06 PM EST change rates Wednesday: close; Coppermay -$2.7400 Cathode full plate, U.S. NOTE: Figures reflect market fluctuations after not match other AP content Dollar vs: ExchgRate PvsDay destinations. Copper $2.7705 N.Y. Merc spot Wed. Yen 89.09 88.81 Lead - $2127.00 metric ton, London Metal Euro $1.4666 $1.4710 Exch. Pound $1.5876 $1.5911 Zinc - $0.8563 per lb., delivered. Swiss franc 1.0338 1.0275 Gold - $1040.25 Handy & Harman (only Canadian dollar 1.0609 1.0598 daily quote). Mexican peso 13.5040 13.4910 Gold - $1043.30 troy oz., NY Merc spot Wed. Metal Price PvsDay Silver - $17.465 Handy & Harman (only NY Merc Gold $1043.30 $1038.60 daily quote). NY HSBC Bank US $1043.00 $1039.00 Silver - $17.478 troy oz., N.Y. Merc spot Wed. NY Merc Silver $17.478 $17.273 Mercury - $550.00 per 76 lb flask, N.Y. Platinum -$1327.00 troy oz., N.Y. (contract). Nonferrous Platinum -$1320.50 troy oz., N.Y. Merc spot NEW YORK (AP) — Spot nonferrous metal Wed. prices Wednesday: n.q.-not quoted, n.a.-not available r-revised

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51.64 26.18 50.59 17.35 26.92 54.81 35.63 15.68 68.67 7.13 16.16 26.14 122.78 60.71 23.18 3.50 6.48 20.20 4.60 61.17 17.73 56.95 37.27 4.80 52.92 46.48 4.85 3.73 22.32 43.76 29.38 51.23 49.49 29.26 4.77 69.68

Dell to close Winston-Salem plant, lay off 905 ROUND ROCK, Texas (AP) — Dell Inc. said Wednesday it will close a desktop computer manufacturing plant in Winston-Salem, N.C., by the end of January. The computer maker said 905 people will be laid off, with around 600 to be let go next month. The plant was opened in 2005. Dell was promised more than $300 million in state and local incentives to open the plant. But it was required to invest $100 million, create 1,700 jobs by September 2010 and

maintain those jobs for 10 more years. If those terms weren’t met, the company would forfeit the incentive package. Dell said it would comply with the terms of the incentive agreement. The plant closure is part of a plan to save $4 billion a year at Dell by 2011. In June, Dell sold its Lebanon, Tenn., remanufacturing plant to Genco. In January, Dell said the company would move its Ireland manufacturing operations to Poland, a process that is still ongoing.

Dell has plants in Miami, Nashville, Austin, Texas, Brazil, Ireland, Poland, China, Malaysia and India. It also partners with other manufacturers to make certain products. Shares of Round Rock, Texas-based Dell fell 19 cents to $15.32 in afternoon trading.

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Opinion

The Daily Dispatch

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Thursday, October 8, 2009

Editorial Board: James Edwards, Publisher Glenn Craven, Editor

jedwards@hendersondispatch.com gcraven@hendersondispatch.com

Don Dulin, News Editor ddulin@hendersondispatch.com

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

Daily Meditation Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. 1 Peter 2:1-2

Our Opinion

Health care for all — except 18 million Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee Wednesday were pleased that the panel has drafted health care legislation which would, according to the Congressional Budget Office, expand health insurance to 94 percent of all Americans at a 10-year-cost of $829 billion. Congratulations, Democrats, on a job expensively and incompletely done. The Finance Committee’s proposal actually is the closest anyone has come to offering what Democrats say they can deliver: Health reform that Republicans might support, and that covers all Americans, while saving money. The Senate Finance Committee’s bill would not allow the government to sell health insurance in competition with private companies — a key sticking point for Republicans. And the CBO says the plan might actually save $81 billion over 10 years; the only reform plan Democrats have offered (in our recollection at least) that hasn’t been identified as adding to the deficit. But even this plan isn’t what President Barack Obama claims to seek. Those who call for a major reformation of the U.S. health care system frequently point to the roughly 15 percent of Americans who are uninsured. That amounts to about 45 million people, some — if not many — of whom simply choose not to pay for insurance. Most who by choice don’t invest in health insurance are young, healthy and simply don’t believe that they need it. That’s why some reform plans, including Obama’s latest suggestion made to a joint session of Congress in September, would require even those individuals to buy their own insurance, if they don’t qualify for government coverage. And that, Obama said, would create coverage for all, at a 10-year price tag of less than $900 billion. Health coverage for everyone has long been an Obama goal. In August, the New York Times reported that Obama called health care for all Americans “a core ethical and moral obligation.” An obligation that, in the Senate Finance Committee, doesn’t extend to 6 percent of all Americans; some 18 million people. Apparently for $829 billion we still can’t cover those folks.

Quotable “We do recognize that he has a tough decision, and he wants ample time to make a good decision. Frankly, I support that, but we need to remember that every day that goes by, the troops that we do have there are in greater danger.” — House Republican leader John Boehner, in a statement as President Barack Obama has yet to signal whether he is prepared to send any more troops to Afghanistan — either the 40,000 his top commander wants or a smaller buildup, according to several officials. “He has proved himself to be a philandering criminal disguised as a U.S. senator.” — CREWS Executive Director Melanie Sloan, after Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a letter to the ethics committee and the FBI alleging that Sen. John Ensign improperly tried to appease his mistress’ husband with a lobbying job and made phone calls on behalf of the man’s clients.

Comics have caught up to Obama Comedy relies on surprise. “Saturday Night Live” has felt painfully dull this season without Sarah Palin to kick around or Tina Fey to do the kicking. Then it surprised the world this weekend. It kicked President Barack Obama. Even more surprising, it got away with it. Only a few months ago major comedians like Jon Stewart and Will Ferrell were lamenting with slack-jawed remorse how resilient Obama has proved to ridicule. How the comics missed the target-rich environments offered up by his predeClarence cessors. Even the gifted Fred Page Armisen, who could pull Tribune Media off an Obama imitation Services almost good enough to fool the Secret Service, found jokes at Obama’s expense fell flat. Audiences treated the man Oprah Winfrey famously pronounced “The One” as though he were a bank too big to fail, a balloon of hope too big to be punctured. But that appears to have ended after Obama’s failed attempt to help Chicago win its bid to host to 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Like one of those Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade balloons that had snagged on a tree, Obama’s balloon of hope fizzled to earth. It had to happen sooner or later. Armisen found Obama’s comedic vulnerability not on his right, where he is predictably pummeled by certain pundits, but on his left, where supporters tend to muzzle themselves in

defensive solidarity, even when they are unhappy. In a mock presidential address to the nation, Armisen as Obama assures angry conservatives that they have nothing to worry about. “Because when you look at my record,” he declares, “it is very clear what I have done so far — and that is nothing. Nada! Almost one year and nothing to show for it!” Armisen’s Obama then checks off a laundry list of what he has not done: “Close (the prison at) Guantanamo Bay ... Out of Iraq ... Improve Afghanistan ... Health Care reform....” “No,” “no, “worse” and “Hell, no,” are the assessments of each. And what about the left? “They’re the ones who should be mad,” he says, offering another checklist: “Global warming ... immigration reform ... gays in the military ... limits on executive power ... torture prosecutions.” Here again, the answer was no to each. As caricature, Armisen’s skit passed the first test of comedy: it was funny. But was it true? Was it fact-based? And did it make a point worth making? There’s a thin line between truth and a cheap shot, especially in politics where the line is always moving, depending on your audience. Fact checkers give Armisen’s checklist a mixed grade. Guantanamo is “stalled,” for example, and Iraq and health care are works in progress, according to Politifact. com, a Pulitzer Prize-winning nonpartisan fact-checking Web site. Afghanistan has gotten measurably worse, but Politifact gave Obama credit for living up to his promise to send in two more brigades. Politifact, operated by the St. Petersburg Times, monitors 500 promises Obama made

as a candidate. So far, by their count he has accomplished 47 and compromised on a dozen more. After his first nine months, it is hard to call him a slacker. But Team Obama can’t afford to be too sanguine about facts. If there was a point the “SNL” skit makes it is how politics is based less on facts than perceptions. “SNL” often has signaled changes in public perceptions and created a few of its own. “SNL” has a 30-plus history of redefining public perceptions of presidents and candidates, from Chevy Chase’s bumbling klutz of a Gerald Ford and Al Franken’s monotone-speaking Paul Simon (the late Illinois Democratic senator, not the singer) to Will Ferrell’s “strategery”-planning George W. Bush and Amy Poehler’s frighteningly ambitious Hillary Clinton. “SNL’s” message reveals, among other subtle insights, a repressed discontent on the left. They see a center-left president who often seems more concerned with the art of compromise on issues like health care, or inclined to put off issues like global warming and gays in the military, than with standing up for his core beliefs. Obama came into office tackling two wars, a world economic crisis and an overhaul of the nation’s health care system, just for starters. He has a lot that he’s trying to do. Even so, SNL reminds the president, as he pursues what he’s trying to do, that sometimes he needs to remind us of what he’s done. E-mail Clarence Page at cpage@tribune.com, or write to him c/o Tribune Media Services, 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, NY 14207.

Rollin’ … Rollin’ … Rollin’ on the vote count It was supposed to be pretty simple. The Board of Elections gets the numbers from the precincts telling us who the voters picked. Our reporter calls the numbers in to us on the telephone — one precinct at a time. We put them into a spreadsheet that does the calculating for us. And we share the results with you, our readers, as the numbers are adding up. Simple. Until the numbers don’t add up like they should. Time was, the election wrapped up in the wee hours of the night and the newspaper didn’t have to worry about a precinct-by-precinct report until the next day’s newspaper. Lots of time to crunch the numbers. Technology now gives us a chance to provide what we call “breaking news” in this business. We’re all familiar with television looking at partial voting results (and those dreadful exit polls) and projecting winners. Who can be the first to say who won? We weren’t so interested in projecting winners as we undertook our online coverage of the City of Henderson Municipal Elections on Tuesday night. We simply wanted to provide you, our readers, with a chance to see how the election was developing as, first, the absentee and One-Stop voting results were announced and, then, one-byone, the results came in from the seven precincts participating in the race. Since the technology allows it, we wanted you to be able to see, too, how each candidate did in a precinct — how your neighbors voted — and what the final percentages were — on the night of the election. And, if we were the first to announce who had won, that certainly would be OK, too.

In the 2007 municipal election, I recall, the tallies were in and the races over by shortly after 8 p.m. This year, it took a little longer. We were pleased to be able to report the final results from the Vance County Board of Elections by shortly after 9 — it was 9:01 p.m., to be exact. The board had told us to expect James Edwards everything to come in Daily Dispatch very quickly Publisher — virtually all at once. It didn’t move as quickly as we had expected, but they were right about it all coming at once when it finally came. We immediately posted the winners on our web site and sent our new breaking news alerts to those who subscribe to our new service via Twitter. Prior to the final tally from the Board of Elections, we had received only three of the seven precincts plus the absentee and One-Stop results. When they gave us the final numbers — before we had the other four precincts broken out — we simply posted the final results and went about securing the precinct-by-precinct numbers that we had promised our readers that would be available on election night. A little “drama” resulted when we got the four other precincts and our spreadsheets didn’t jibe with the totals being given out by the board of elections. It was shortly after 9:15 when we questioned why the numbers of votes were so much higher for the candidates than

what the board of elections was reporting. The only race that seemed to be affected by the vote total “discrepancy” — note the quotation marks — was the Ward 4 At-Large seat. The board of elections had incumbent George Daye beating his challenger Ranger Wilkerson by 47 votes. The spreadsheet we had created looked like Wilkerson may have pulled off an upset. After a call to the board of elections to bring the issue to their attention, we were told they were re-running the numbers. We momentarily backed off the report that Daye had won and noted to our readers that the race was too close to call. At that point, our spreadsheet showed the combined numbers which appeared to give Wilkerson more votes than Daye. Another quick follow-up call to the Board of Elections resulted in this explanation: The earlier numbers first posted for absentee and OneStop ballots had been “rolled into” the seven precincts participating in the election. For example, each One-Stop vote placed at the Board of Elections office in advance of Election Day — votes which were logged as One-Stop votes in the first reported results of the night — was eventually reallocated to whatever precinct the voter actually belonged. That caused spreadsheets like ours to count some, but not all, of the early votes twice. From the final precinct totals we got from another trip to the board office, we found that our first three reporting precincts did not include these “rolled over” votes but the final reports from all precincts did. Thus, anyone following this vote count with a spreadsheet was seeing duplicated vote totals — some

numbers being counted in the One-Stops and in their precinct at the same time. Our initial online spreadsheet had columns for seven precincts plus absentee and One-Stop. You’ll notice that the final spreadsheet omitted the absentee and One-Stop columns. We were satisfied that the Board of Elections indeed had the numbers right. No question that Daye had won, albeit in a very close race. The official canvassing of the vote tallies — scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 11 a.m. — will put the final stamp on the totals we reported online Tuesday night and in Wednesday’s print edition. And we’re assuming the board of elections has gotten it right. For us, it was a lesson that you can’t ask enough questions about procedures in advance. From our 2007 reporting of the Municipal Elections, it didn’t appear that this “rolling” of number into precincts had been done, so we simply weren’t expecting it this time. Next time, we’ll know. It was a lesson, too, in how difficult it can be to report “breaking news.” There’s an overwhelming desire to be the first to report a story in this business. That should never outweigh the desire to make sure we have the story right. Thanks to all of you who tracked the results online through the evening and to those who followed with your Twitter news alerts on your cell phones. Don’t change channels — another election and more online coverage is right around the corner in early November! We’ll be here. The publisher can be reached at jedwards@hendersondispatch.com.

The Daily Dispatch

Dear Abby

News From The Light Side THURSDAY Morning / Early Afternoon 10/8/09

Today In History

Ten years ago: A damage award to State Farm auto insurance customers swelled to nearly $1.2 billion after a judge in Illinois ruled that the nation’s largest auto insurer had committed fraud by using generic autobody repair parts. (However, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned the judgment in 2005.) Five years ago: A videotape surfaced showing kidnappers beheading British hostage Kenneth Bigley in Iraq. Martha Stew-

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