CMYK Army: 12 dead, 31 hurt in shootings
What a difference a year makes
Northern, Southern battle tonight
Public Records, Page 6A
Opinion, Page 10A
Sports, Page 1B FRIDAY, November 6, 2009
Volume XCV, No. 260
(252) 436-2700
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Have you seen David Hargrove? Police ask for your help finding man last seen Oct. 25 From STAFF REPORTS
David Lee Hargrove hasn’t been seen by relatives since Oct. 25. After checking locations the 59-year-old Henderson man is known to frequent and a ground search Wednesday and Thursday of a nearby wooded area, the Henderson Police Department is asking for the public’s help finding him. Hargrove has a cognitive impairment. He is black and of medium complexion, 5-feet-10-inches tall and 160 pounds, with black hair, a gray beard and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a burgundy jacket with gray liner, blue jeans and black sneakers. Officers and detectives conducted the ground search of a wooded area off Interstate 85 between Dabney Drive and E. Andrews Avenue where Hargrove was reported being seen. N.C. SMART, a search and rescue group from Alamance County assisted police Wednesday, using scent dogs trained in live scent and cadaver searches. Additional searches were conducted Thursday, police said, and three more search teams are in route to Vance County to assist in the search. Police said information about Hargrove has been intered into the National Criminal Information CenPlease see MISSING, page 4A
Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE
Cars pass a billboard on Oxford Road for the Vance County Schools’ TRU campaign against tobacco, just east of Vance Academy Road, Thursday afternoon.
Billboards: Vance schools tobacco-free By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer
Vance County Schools’ TRU Campaign against tobacco-use has strategically placed four billboards along major roads to target motorists who smoke or chew or dip. Even if they don’t, said Dr. Ralphel Holloman Sr., a former cigarette addict and Tobacco Prevention Coordinator, they might have kids or other relatives or friends who do. The locations are: • In front of Roses on Norlina Road. • On N.C. 39 South, about a mile beyond
Owner says he’s ready to begin rehabilitating the run-down property By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer
The Zoning Board of Adjustment, with one dissenting vote, tabled a Our Hometown . . . . . 2A request by the owner of the dilapiBusiness & Farm. . . . 5A dated former Beacon Light apartOpinion . . . . . . . . . . 10A ment complex at 318 Boddie St. for Light Side . . . . . . . . 13A a special use permit for a unified Sports. . . . . . . . . . 1-3B residential development and for a Comics . . . . . . . . . . . 4B request for a variance on setback regulations. Classifieds. . . . . . . 5-8B The owner, Ahmad Halim, at a marathon hearing Tuesday, maintained, “We are ready to proceed. We want to do it, but I cannot do Today it unless I get permission.” Halim additionally maintained he has done Plenty... everything Henderson’s government High: 58 has asked him to do, but he faced Low: 31 extensive questioning from City Attorney John Zollicoffer and board members that left more unresolved Saturday matters. Halim wants the variance on the ...sunshine buildings because they have been High: 65 unoccupied. And, in lieu of buildings Low: 40 that no longer meet today’s setback requirements, he wants a variance Details, 3A on them because they are no longer grandfathered into the municipal regulations. The board majority held off until the next meeting because ZollicofButner Jo Ann B. Hughes, 67 fer had to leave for another matter.
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Schools Are 100 Percent Tobacco-Free.” The billboards featured numerous faceless figurines. All of the eighth-graders taking math at Eaton-Johnson and Henderson middle schools were asked to guess how many. Mel-Leeah Robinson, who goes to E-J, came up with 474, only six off the real number, which was 468. For her trouble, she won a season football pass to her school’s games, both home and away. Contact the writer at awheless@hendersondispatch.com.
Beacon Light use permit tabled Where can
Index
Henderson Christine H. Davis, 92 Magnolia C. Satterwhite, 82 Warrenton Emily T. Gardner Roy G. Jones, 59 Elizabeth Weddington, 77
the fairgrounds. • On U.S. 1 North in Kittrell, next to the Job Corps Center. • On U.S. 158 South Business, about half a mile past the intersection with Vance Academy Road. Money to pay for them came from the North Carolina Health & Wellness Trust Fund Program. The TRU Campaign, which focuses on middle school and high school students, recently sponsored a contest in connection with the billboards which all displayed the same scene. The overline on each was: “Vance County
Board Chairwoman Arline Richardson did not want to take action without Zollicoffer’s counsel, because she did not understand why the matter is in front of the board and because she did not know what the City Council has told Halim. Board member Richard Brand led the vote to delay, with support from Richardson and board members Thomas Badger, Cathy Ringley and Marchita Vann. Board member Ruxton Bobbitt cast the lone no vote against postponing a decision. Board member Duane Townes was absent. The request was being made in the aftermath of the seven City Council members present for the Oct. 26 council meeting unanimously approving lifting a stay on a demolition ordinance on the former Beacon Light. The action gave City Code Compliance Director Corey Williams full authority to bring the property in line with municipal regulations. Zollicoffer at the council meeting additionally noted the Board of Adjustment has no authority to overrule the council, including on code enforcement or on the provision of homeownership spelled out in the paperwork. The council vote came in part because Halim, who was not able to attend the Oct. 26 meeting, failed to answer what has happened regarding insurance proceeds as a result of fires on the property and why he has not used the insurance money to raze the fire-damaged buildings.
During Tuesday’s Board of Adjustment meeting, Zollicoffer pointed out that the deed for the U.S. Department Housing and Urban Development-sponsored low-income site said if any buildings were damaged or destroyed, then Halim said he would repair them using insurance proceeds. And Zollicoffer asked Halim, “Has that been done?” “You did ask me this question before,” Halim said. Zollicoffer said, “I know I did. I never got an answer.” “My answer will be the same,” Halim said, maintaining that the purpose of the insurance was to rehabilitate the property and that he is willing to do so once he gets the go-ahead. “We are not trying to make a fortune from insurance.” “We would like to proceed, but you know very well that we cannot proceed” until he receives a permit, Halim said. Zollicoffer said, “You’ve been under a condition to tear those houses down for some time, now, those buildings down.” And Zollicoffer noted this was following a process in which there was a public hearing of which Halim was given notice. Zollicoffer asked Halim, “Did you ever make any attempt to tear those buildings down?” Halim denied getting any orders to do so, but said he has no problem
A groundbreaking is set for 9 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, for the first phase of the HOPE VI Main Street Revitalization Project in the central business district. The event will be at 129 S. Garnett St.
The city was awarded $1 million in grants for the project, which will provide for 12 apartment units along Garnett, predominantly above existing retail spaces. The total estimated cost for construction is slightly less than $1.5 million. The city has partnered
with four property owners who will provide the additional funding necessary to complete the project: Cornerstone Development; CPNONE; Mostly Handcrafted; and Inscoe Properties. The central business district was once a bustling place, but began suffer-
From STAFF REPORTS
On the menu for Oktoberfest: Bratwurst, knockwurst, German potato salad, German beer and fried pickles. Fried pickles for Oktoberfest, you ask? Yes, even fried pickles. Saturday’s downtown festival on Breckenridge Street is offering up some traditional German foods along with the “delicacies” one normally finds at the State Fair. Add to the food and beverages some music and dancing by the Little German Band, children’s games and activities, and nearly 20 different vendors. What you have is the groundwork for what should be a fun festival in downtown Henderson this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. In addition to the German foods, there will be traditional fare served by the vendors – hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos, funPlease see BEACON, page 3A nel cakes, barbecue and pizza, along with Cokes, water and American beer. The Henderson-Vance Downtown Development Commission is sponsoring ing from the decline of big this first of what it hopes tobacco and the textile will be many Oktoberfest industry, plus the shifting festivals in the downtown of commerce closer to the area. Interstate 85/Dabney Drive Named for the tradiinterchange. tional time selected to celebrate the end of the Send comments to the news- harvest – and not for paper at news@hendersondisPlease see PICKLES, page 3A patch.com.
Groundbreaking set for HOPE VI project From STAFF REPORTS
you find fried pickles?