CMYK Help name new Vance elementary school
I saw her faith, now I’m a believer
Spartans compete in scrimmage
Local News, Page 4A
Opinion, Page 8A
Sports, Page 1B FRIDAY, November 13, 2009
Volume XCV, No. 266
(252) 436-2700
www.hendersondispatch.com
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11 held on drugs charges From STAFF REPORTS
Vance Sheriff Peter White announced Thursday the arrests by the Vice/ Narcotics Unit of 11 people on drugs charges. Antwone McLloyd Hargrove, 29, of 310 Plum Nutty Road was charged with: • Trafficking in cocaine. • Conspiracy to traffic cocaine. • Felony possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine. • Felony possession with intent to manufacture cocaine. He is being held in lieu of $20,000 bond. Ricky Alston, 25, of 663 Hibernia Road was charged with: • Trafficking in opiates. • Felony maintaining a vehicle for keeping and selling controlled substances. • Felony possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver a controlled substance 1,000 feet from a school. He is being held in lieu of $20,000 bond. Rashod Maurice Richmond, 28, of 195 Manor Lane was charged with: • Felony possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine. • Sell and deliver cocaine. • Conspire to sell and deliver cocaine. He is being held in lieu of $30,000 bond. Damon Fisher, 21, of 1109 Island Creek Estates Road was charged with: • Felony possession with
Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE
Flames erupt from the roof of the former J.P. Taylor building off Raleigh Road early Thursday night. Fire units from across the county and area were called in shortly before 4 p.m. to reports of smoke. Flames were visible from the roof around 5:30 p.m.
Fire ravages old tobacco plant 100 firefighters battle wind, rain By GLENN CRAVEN Daily Dispatch Editor
County Station 3, arrived within five minutes. “Basically upon arrival we had smoke showing,” said Harold Henrich, Vance County fire marshal and EMS director. “We had crews initiate an internal attack.” Firefighters entered the building and fought the flames for 30 to 45 minutes, Henrich said in an interview at about 9 p.m. Thursday from a trailer in the parking lot, which housed his command center. Tobacco product manufacturing ended at the plant in May of 2002 after J.P. Taylor had spent 118 years in business. The closure cost Vance County 130 full-time jobs and 400 seasonal positions. Now the old building and some newer structures on the property housed bedding and related materials for Pacific Coast Feather, creating an untenable situation for firefighters, forcing them to change tactics.
Dogged by persistent flames and hounded by a chill wind and drenching rain, around 100 firefighters from four counties battled into the night Thursday trying to bring under control a blaze that has ravaged a former tobacco plant at the south side of Henderson. Officials say that a Pacific Coast Feather storage facility — housed in the old J.P. Taylor Please see DRUGS, page 3A building at 500 J.P. Taylor Road, within easy sight of Raleigh Road — was first reported ablaze at 3:34 p.m. Thursday. The first fire units on scene, from Vance Our Hometown . . . . . 2A Business & Farm. . . . 5A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . 8A Light Side . . . . . . . . 11A Sports. . . . . . . . . . 1-5B • President of Treyburn Comics . . . . . . . . . . . 6B Corporate Park in DurClassifieds. . . . . . . 7-9B ham County for 16 years. • Part-time director of economic development in Columbus County for four Today years. • More than 12 years Some rain By AL WHELESS with the North Carolina High: 53 Daily Dispatch Director Department of Commerce. Low: 48 • Former manager and James “Jim” R. Hinkle vice-president of CP&L. — one of 32 applicants to Saturday • Consulting work. become Vance County’s “While we had very full-time economic develgood applicants initially Clearing opment director — will for the position, we just High: 67 begin as interim director did not find the right indiLow: 46 Monday under a threevidual,” County Manager month contract. Jerry Ayscue said ThursDetails, 3A Hinkle’s experience day afternoon during an includes: interview.
Index
Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE
Firefighters prepare to enter a door to a warehouse at the J.P. Taylor complex off Raleigh Road shortly after 4 p.m. Thursday. “Due to the building construction and conditions, we withdrew” and went on the defensive, Henrich said. Two aerial firefighting units, one from Henderson’s city department and one from Oxford, tried
to douse the flames from outside and above. And firefighters continued to swarm to the scene from throughout the region. “We had all of Vance County’s Please see FIRE, page 3A
Interim economic development director hired
Weather
Deaths
Henderson Anthony Bullock, 53 Barbara A. Bullock, 63 Mattie A.G. Cheatham, 95 Johnny Fields Nashville Anna N. Short, 91 Oxford Stephanie R. Johnson, 14 Mary F. McFalls, 73
Vance contract with new man is for 3 months
“We are confident that our renewed recruitment efforts will be successful,” he added. According to Ayscue, Hinkle will be paid $6,000 a month, plus any necessary travel expenses. The salary range for the full-time position is $55,000 to $88,000. The search has been going on for about a year. The interim director will help promote the County and the City of Henderson in the recruitment of new businesses and assist with expansion of existing ones. Ayscue said Hinkle’s
extensive background in economic development at the state and local levels “will be quite an asset” in his temporary role. “His vast experience will be valuable to the recently appointed Economic Development Commission as it continues to organize and develop strategies for the future,” Ayscue said. “Hinkle is able to begin immediately to network with his many contacts to promote our area and hopefully attract needed jobs” the county manager explained. “We are fortunate to have an individual of his
caliber to work with us during these economic development times.” Asked how Hinkle made the switch from full-time director applicant to interim director, Ayscue replied: “It was just a mutually satisfactory arrangement.” Hinkle will work out of the EDC’s office on Graham Avenue. He lives in Chatham County, but “will secure local housing while employed by us,” Ayscue said. Contact the writer at awheless@hendersondispatch.com.
Bowles to speak at annual Thanksgiving breakfast From STAFF REPORTS
OXFORD — The 208th Army Band will perform at the Granville County Chamber of Commerce’s annual Thanksgiving Obituaries, 4A breakfast and UNC System President Erskine Bowles will be the guest speaker. The event is set for 7:30 a.m. Nov. 25 in the Family Life Center of Oxford Baptist Church, 147 Main
St. Mark Averette and the staff of Bandag are once again sponsoring the traditional buffet. Bowles State Rep. Jim Crawford, D-Granville and who is a businessman in Henderson, arranged for Bowles to speak. Bowles, formerly President Clin-
ton’s chief of staff, has been UNC System president since 2006. The primary mission of the 208th Army Band is to promote an esprit de corps among the fighting forces and to serve as a goodwill ambassador throughout the Carolinas. Additionally, the staff of the law office of Royster Cross and Hensley is challenging local businesses
to participate in donating to Area Congregations in Ministry (ACIM), which was the victim of a burglary nearly a week ago and is in desperate need of non-perishable food. There is no charge to attend the breakfast. The Chamber, however, encourages everyone who attends the breakfast to donate to ACIM. Reservations are required to ensure a seat.
Contact the Chamber office in Oxford at (919) 6936125 or e-mail granvillechamber@embarqmail.com or contact the Chamber office in Southern Granville County at (919) 5284994 or e-mail theresa@ granville-chamber.com for reservations. Send comments to the newspaper at news@hendersondispatch.com.