CMYK Feral cats: Humane solution seen Local News, Page 4A
Mental health group seeking help from Perdue for programs State & Nation, Page 7A
Northern, Southern volleyball tie, 3-3
Good Taste, Page 1C
Sports, Page 1B WEDNESDAY, October 14, 2009
Volume XCV, No. 240
(252) 436-2700
www.hendersondispatch.com
Decision on vote recount
Hughes arrested in e-mail threats Vance Commissioner faces allegation in Craven County court By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer
Vance County Commissioner Scott Hughes was arrested in Henderson Oct. 10 on a Craven County misdemeanor warrant charging him with communicating e-mail threats to a Havelock man. Hughes — who became a commissioner by defeating incumbent Tommy Hester in November of 2006 — did not return a telephone Hughes call from The Daily Dispatch. Neither did Russell Railnear, who took out the one-count warrant against Hughes on Sept. 21. According to a spokesman for the Havelock Police Department, Railnear told officers that he had met Hughes’ estranged wife “at school.” Railnear also mentioned to police, the spokesman said, that Hughes found out and put several threatening messages on his (the alleged victim’s) Face Book page. Hughes, 34, of 309 Please see HUGHES, page 3A
Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE
People visit booths of area merchants and agencies during Expo 2009 at Vance-Granville Community College’s Civic Center Tuesday afternoon. The event was organized by the Granville County Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, The Chamber of Commerce of Warren County and the VGCC Small Business Center.
Good crowd, fewer vendors at Expo Sluggish economy takes toll on exhibitors, an organizer says By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer
While attendance was good at Business Expo 19 Tuesday, vendor participation was down to about 40, according to Dianne Finch, executive of the Small Business Center which was one of the sponsors. The others were the chambers of commerce in Vance, Granville, Warren and Franklin counties. Finch attributed the low number of exhibitors to the country’s sluggish economy. She said it is the type of business climate that requires more exposure by merchants, not less. About 800 people came to the event which was held in VanceGranville Community College’s Civic Center. Finch recalled that 38 vendors showed up at one of the Expo’s in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s.
Our Hometown . . . . . 2A Business & Farm. . . . 5A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . 8A Light Side . . . . . . . . . 9A Sports. . . . . . . . . . 1-4B Comics . . . . . . . . . . . 2C Classifieds. . . . . . . 3-5C
Weather Today Cold
High: 53 Low: 40
Thursday Colder
High: 47 Low: 40
Details, 3A
Deaths Henderson Gallie N. Twisdale, 88
Obituaries, 4A
In contrast, there were 80 exhibitors and about 1,000 people at the 2003 session. Last year, the numbers were 63 vendors and as many as 800 attendees. “Next year will be our 20th,” Finch said. “I’ll be optimistic and hope the economy will turn around by then.” Finch said, “A lot of vendors come here so people can put a face with their business.” One of those is the School of Graphic Arts at the Masonic Home For Children in Oxford. The manager, Eddie Dickerson, is an alumni who lived there from 1955 to 1969. He explained that the school offers vocational training to youngsters who work in the business’ graphic design and press operations. “This is our fifth year at Expo,” said Dickerson, who credited the
2006 event with helping land Altech Industries of Creedmoor, “one of our biggest customers.” The company manufacturers bucket trucks for clients such as Progress Energy. Yancey Hines Photography of Henderson showed off its portrait and commercial work to passersby Tuesday. The owner’s wife, Nancy Hines, said her husband photographed weddings in the 1970s. He started up the business again, she said, after retiring from Vance County Schools with about 30 years of service. All of the time was spent as the assistant principal at either Northern Vance or Southern Vance High School. Since this was the company’s first year at Expo, Nancy Hines was asked whether operating the Please see EXPO, page 3A
Henderson among traffic safety leaders 15 North Carolina cities to be honored today by AAA Foundation From STAFF REPORTS
Index
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Henderson is among 15 North Carolina cities that will be honored today for their leadership in traffic safety, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety said Tuesday. The cities will be awarded in three population categories — less than 10,000, between 10,000 and 30,000; and more than 30,000. One city in each category will be named Traffic Safety Community of the Year based on crash statistics, number of law enforcement officers per capita, presence of a formal traffic safety program and existence of a special traffic division. The announcements will be made in Durham at a luncheon at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club. It is the seventh year the Foundation has identified the safest communities and 8 of the 15 are repeat winners.
Grand Prize winners will be announced for the first time at the luncheon. The foundation examined these categories to find cities that actively pursue ways to enhance highway safety and make a strong commitment with extra law enforcement on the city’s roads. The number of crashes was a statistical standard used to see how successful cities are using these factors. The University of North Carolina-Charlotte provided the statistical analysis. The top five North Carolina cities in each category are the following: Population greater than 30,000: Wilson, Huntersville, Apex, Cary and High Point. Population between 10,00030,000: Wake Forest, Kinston, Kings Mountain, Henderson and Pinehurst.
Population less than 10,000: Topsail Beach, Littleton, Marion, Granite Quarry and Highlands. “North Carolina had more than 1,400 deaths on the roads in 2008,” said Crosby. “We want to recognize communities that work hard and are successful in reducing traffic crashes.” The Traffic Safety Foundation is supported by contributions from AAA Carolinas and its members to provide information and resources to educate the public on traffic safety and positively influence behavior to improve safety on North and South Carolina roads. Speakers for the luncheon are Darrell Jernigan from the Governor’s Highway Safety Program and Tom Crosby, president of AAA Carolina’s Traffic Safety Foundation. Send comments to news@hendersondispatch.com.
Polite gunman takes money, says ‘thank you’ By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer
A “very polite” gunman who wore a Halloween mask and said “Thank you” after he got the cash Monday night, robbed JJ’s Fish & Chicken at 1202 E. Andrews Ave. According to Detective Lt. C.O. Pulley of the Henderson Police Department, the thief entered
the restaurant through a side door about 6:45 p.m., pointed a handgun at the owner and said, “I want your money.” The owner told The Daily Dispatch that he opened the register and complied after telling the man not to hurt anyone. Two employees and a customer were also in the store at the time of the holdup.
Pulley said the suspect was described as black, 5-foot-9, weighing 215 pounds, and wearing blue jeans, as well as a blue shirt under “a button-up shirt.” Asked if the gunman could be the same person who tried unsuccessfully several hours earlier on Monday to hold up Hardee’s Please see GUNMAN, page 3A
Wilkerson requested review of Ward 4 contest with Daye By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer
Ward 4 At Large City Council candidate Ranger Wilkerson has called for a recount of his Oct. 6 loss to incumbent George Daye, but the Vance County Board of Elections has the final say. Board Chairman Jim Kearney told the Dispatch on Tuesday evening that the plan is to first tell Wilkerson of the board’s decision before the decision is published by the newspaper. Kearney said the board’s hope is to inform Wilkerson Wilkerson today. “And then we’ll make it public,” Kearney said. Kearney, when asked by the Dispatch whether the board reached a conclusion on Tuesday, Daye said, “I think we did. And we want to check a couple of things and make sure we are totally in compliance with the law.” Wilkerson on Monday requested the recount. County Elections Director Faye Gill said a canvassing of the votes Tuesday showed Daye with 983 to Wilkerson’s 931. State law says a defeated candidate has the right to demand a recount if the difference between the votes for the defeated candidate and the votes for the prevailing candidate is not more than 1 percent of the total votes cast. And Gill noted the difference in Wilkerson’s case is more than 2 percent. Please see RECOUNT, page 3A
Submitted photo
Wanted Authorities need help solving an armed robbery that occurred Sunday at Providence Grocery, 4626 Old N.C. 75, Oxford. They are looking for the person in the photo in connection with the crime. Anyone with any information about this crime is urged to contact Granville County Crime Stoppers at (919) 693-3100. Crime Stoppers can offer up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for such actions.