CMYK A new era in infotainment
Mattel introduces black Barbie
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Opinion, Page 8A
Nation, Page 9A
Sports, Page 1B FRIDAY, October 9, 2009
Volume XCV, No. 237
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Images at Williamsboro Wayside Coley
Moore
Couple still on loose
law enforcement officer” who has an impeccable work record and many letters of commendation. White said Marrow is certified in all areas of law enforcement. A native of Vance County, Marrow graduated from Vance Senior High School in 1977 and served in the U.S. Army from 1977 to 1984. A deputy since May 1 of 1987, Marrow was promoted to sergeant on Aug. 17 of 1992. He has been the child support enforcement officer since 2000. During a more somber part of the program Thursday night, the Sheriff presented a Special Memorial Award to the family of Deputy Brandon Scott Coker, The 27-year-old ex-paratrooper died shortly after 10 p.m. on April 25 when his patrol car went out of control on Nutbush Road and struck a tree. According to White, Coker was
OXFORD — The municipal government is holding off allocating funds to correct sinking spots on the west side of the Police Department building at 204 E. McClanahan St., with the plan for now being to replace a worn- out boiler dating back to the building’s 1978 opening. The City Commission’s meeting agenda on Tuesday will include considering approval of a Shope budget amendment of $10,254 for the heating system, with the quote being $12,754 and a contribution from Walmart to be used to cover the difference. Donham Still, Commissioner Bob Shope near the end of Monday evening’s agenda meeting expressed concern about structure failure to City Manager Mark Donham and Lastname Police Chief John Wolford, who was in the audience. And Shope asked, “Why don’t we fix this before it gets worse?” “Well, we determined at this point that’s not a critical factor at this point,” Donham said. “Believe me, if I felt like this was a serious problem, we would spend the money to fix it.” Shope said he is looking at trying to save money now instead of spending more greenbacks later. “It’s a balance we’ve got,” Donham said, noting Oxford has many issues requiring capital expenditures. The subject of the condition of the building was discussed two years ago, when Wolford called for an upgrade of the aging station to help meet the needs of an ever-burgeoning city up from the Raleigh-Durham area and along the ever-busy Interstate 85 corridor. The building’s sinking spots are evidenced by a decline in the floor by a window and cracks over the men’s restroom door. Wolford, under questioning from Shope moments earlier at the Monday agenda meeting, said of the building, “Well, I can’t say that it’s failing any more significantly than it was at this time last year.” “We’re still sinking a tad,” Wolford said. “We have not done another evaluation. We actually put it in the capital budget this past year and you guys decided that wasn’t appropriate at this time.” “It is what it is,” Wolford said, noting he could not say much more without a professional evaluation of the building. Wolford said the last estimate to make repairs was in the range of $26,000-$30,000 and noted the quote is approximately two years old. Donham, who was hired as manager in May 2008, said of the building, “We did look at it” ap-
Please see BANQUET, page 4A
Please see SINKING, page 3A
Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE
A United States flag blows in the breeze on the exposed island at Williamsboro Wayside near the N.C. 39 bridge Thursday afternoon. A small homemade plaque attached to the wooden mast reads “ Dedicated to fallen U.S. troops”. Meanwhile, a trio of mallards take off for the safety of Kerr Lake after noticing the photographer at the fishing area.
Please see SCAM, page 4A
Index
Daily Dispatch/AL WHELESS
Weather Today Warmer High: 86 Low: 63
Saturday T-storm High: 77 Low: 58
Details, 3A
Deaths Henderson James E. Norwood, 73 Robert L. Williams Jr., 44 James M. Jones, 59 Oxford Louis Forsythe, 88 Warrenton Dorothy R. Norris, 69
Obituaries, 4A
Sinking spots in PD floor By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer
By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer
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50 cents
Repair plans put off; original boiler to be replaced
Another scam reported by woman, 88 Henderson Police are still looking for Phillip Wayne Coley, 37, and Tammy Dawn Moore, 34, a local couple suspected of running a “grandparent scam” in September. Investigators think 88-year-old Myrtle Waite, who reported Wednesday that $347 was taken from her under false pretenses Sept. 18, could be another of their victims. According to Detective Lt. C.O. Pulley, Waite is believed to have been preyed upon at her apartment on Coble Boulevard by a member of the fraud team. One of them said during a phone call that they were relatives of the latest, targeted elderly person, Pulley explained. The standard operating procedure, he added, is for Coley or Moore to mention that their vehicle is broken down on the side of a road, that they need money for a wrecker, and that they will send someone to them to
Award recipients gather for a photograph at the end of the Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers’ 14th Annual Awards and Recognition Banquet Thursday night. From left, seated, are Sheriff Peter White with Sgt. Jeffery P. Marrow, recipient of the Sam Pearson Memorial Law Enforcement Award; Henderson Police Chief Keith Sidwell with Lt. Sandra F. Lawhorn, recipient of the Tom Long Memorial Law Enforcement Award; and Mrs. Morgan Coker, the wife of deceased Deputy Brandon Coker, and Deputy Coker’s mother, Mrs. Lynne Tuck, both given special awards in memory of the deputy who died in the line of duty; standing, from left, Lt. Irvin Robinson, Crime Stoppers coordinator; Bobby Choplin, Community Watch Award recipient; Kristen Tharpe, Local Citizens Award recipient; Edward Woodlief, Crime Stoppers Board Member of the Year Award recipient; Sandy Tew, representing the North Carolina Crime Stoppers Association; Sam Franklin, Business Award recipient; George Rush, Public Service Award recipient; and Frank Sossamon, chairman of the local Crime Stoppers board.
Lawhorne, Marrow earn top awards Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers honors pair at annual banquet By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer
Police Lt. Sandra F. Lawhorne received the Tom Long Award and Sgt. Jeffery Preston Marrow of the Sheriff’s Office got the Sam Pearson Award Thursday night at the Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers Banquet. The top law enforcement honors were among the highlights of the awards dinner that was held at South Henderson Pentacostal Holiness Church on Americial Road. Chief Keith Sidwell said Lawhorne’s strong leadership helps drive the police department’s Power Shift which — since its establishment on Aug. 1 of 2008 — has been responsible for: • Making 1,054 arrests. • Serving 369 warrants. • Handing out 1,624 citations. • Writing 878 incident reports.
• Conducting 59 accident investigations. • Handling 3,744 calls for service. Lawhorne joined the department on July 21 of 1995. She became the first female on June 19, 2003, to be promoted to sergeant. On Sept. 9 of 2004, Lawhorne reached the rank of lieutenant. More on During her cabanquet, reer, Lawhorne’s page 4A assignments have included the Police Oriented Response Team, the Interagency Drug Enforcement Unit and the Criminal Investigations Division. She received an Associate Degree from Vance-Granville Community College in 1993. Lawhorne’s daughter, Morgan, is 12. Marrow was described by Sheriff Peter White as “an exemplary