CMYK Salvation Army kicks off campaign Our Hometown, Page 2A
Black Friday spending up slightly Business & Farm, Page 5A
Why race still haunts politics to this day Opinion, Page 8A
N.C. State upsets North Carolina Sports, Page 1B
Thanksgiving all year long for Macy’s parade guru
Touch of glamour brightens a room
HOLIDAY SONGBOOK
Real Estate, Page 1D
Inside today
Showcase, Page 1C
SUNDAY, November 29, 2009
Volume XCV, No. 280
(252) 436-2700
www.hendersondispatch.com
‘It was Kelly’s time’ By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer
BUTNER — Hundreds gathered Saturday afternoon at Bible Baptist Church for a memorial service in memory of slain Granville County woman Kelly Currin Morris. “It was Kelly’s time,” the Rev. Keith Williams said of the mother of two girls. Regardless of one’s age, when the time comes, “God will call us home,” Williams said. And Williams said his question is, “Where will you go when it is your time?” The most important thing people can do in this life is make preparations with Jesus Christ, Williams said. Morris disappeared on Sept. 3, 2008. The next day, her residence at 3220 Tump Wilkins Road was on fire and her 2005 Honda Accord was
Ren Wiles comes to city after post in Knightdale By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer
CREEDMOOR — The municipal government has hired a new finance director. Ren Wiles, ex-finance director of Knightdale’s government, will report to Creedmoor City Hall this coming Tuesday, ending the practice of City Manager Tom Mercer having Daily Displatch/AL CREWS worn two hats since earlier this year. A tearful Juanita Currin embraces a person in the receiving line at Bible Baptist Church after a memorial service Saturday for Kelly Currin Morris. At the far rear Mayor Darryl Moss said left is Morris’ father, Pat Currin. the hiring of Wiles, made public Wednesday, comes next declared Kelly Currin Morris’ found approximately a mile away at as Creedmoor now has husband, Scott, a person of interest a future subdivision, with her cell municipal bookkeeping in in the vanishing of his wife and in phone, pocketbook and other perorder for the first time in a sonal belongings still inside the car. connection with the arson. long time. On Sept. 12, 2008, the State Authorities on Nov. 16 found the And Moss on Wednesremains of Kelly Currin Morris off Bureau of Investigation concluded day said the hiring of the house fire had been set delibPlease see KELLY, page 3A Wiles comes as the city erately. Then-Sheriff David Smith expects to hear next week or in two weeks from the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding the city’s application for help from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, better known as the point as she sought clarity. session, Zollicoffer said he would Obama Administration’s Coffey defeated City Councilman need a closed session, citing the economic stimulus packBernard Alston in the Oct. 6 munici- attorney-client privilege and an pal election. Coffey will be sworn in economic development matter as the age. Creedmoor is seeking $9 on Dec. 14 along with the re-elected exemptions to North Carolina’s open million through the USDA Mayor Pete O’Geary and the seven meetings laws. for upgrading aging sewer re-elected council members. The council later went into closed and water lines and reOn Monday evening, the counsession in a conference room. placing an aging overhead cil met in short regular session in After the council returned to open water tank in the central the council chambers, with Alston session, Evans said that, before the business district with a absent. Please see COFFEY, page 4A larger one, Moss said. Shortly after the start of the open
Evans: Coffey in closed session OK? Councilwoman-elect sat in on meeting about attorney-client privilege, economic development By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer
City Councilwoman Mary Emma Evans at last week’s council meeting brought up a question about whether the council had been in order when letting City Councilwoman-elect Sara Coffey attended a closed session. “I think we were,” City Attorney John Zollicoffer told Evans at one
Index Our Hometown . . . . . 2A Business & Farm. . . . 5A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . 8A World. . . . . . . . . . . . 12A Sports. . . . . . . . . . 1-6B Showcase. . . . . . . . . 1C
Celebrate. . . . . . . . 2-4C Books & Leisure . . . . 5C Light Side . . . . . . . 6-7C A to Z Kids. . . . . . . . . 8C Real Estate . . . . . . 1-2D Classifieds. . . . . . . 3-5C
Weather
Deaths Mostly sunny
High: 67 Low: 44
Monday
Franklin Nannie R. Waverly, 51 Henderson Claude W. Davis Jr., 69 Gene A. Harris, 61 James L. Reavis, 94 Cora Ann J. Scott Warrenton Mary Billups, 85
Obituaries, 4A
Few showers High: 62 Low: 41
Details, 3A
$1.25
Creedmoor’s new finance director reports Tuesday
Hundreds attend memorial service for mother of two
Today
Moss noted the city’s private engineer, Dan Boone, in giving a presentation to the City Commission this past Tuesday evening, told of smoke testing of the sewer pipes for inflow and infiltration problems. And 30 percent of what Creedmoor pays is to process rainwater, Moss said. “That is a huge part of our problem,” Moss said. Creedmoor’s sewer is processed by the neighboring Butner-based South Granville Water and Sewer Authority (SGWASA). As for the bookkeeping at Creedmoor City Hall, Moss said the decision was made approximately 2 1/2 months ago to hire a finance director and after discussions with the state Local Government Commission (LGC), with the subject of the separation of duties having again come up. The LGC is staffed by the state treasurer’s office and has helped cities with their finances since the Depression. Creedmoor’s tribulations surfaced in July 2007 after the retirement of Eleanor Fowler as Creedmoor’s longtime finance director and after Fowler’s successor, Lenessa Hawkins, began uncovering numerous problems with the records. Mayor Pro Tem Tim Karan led a unanimous commission vote for an investigation after the city had to pay the state more than $153,000 for failing to Please see CREEDMOOR, page 10A
R U driving? N.C. texting ban starts Dec. 1 RALEIGH (AP) — Starting soon, North Carolina drivers who text behind the wheel will need to pull over to avoid fines. The state’s ban on sending text messages while driving goes into effect Dec. 1. Violations could cost drivers $100 in fines. The new law makes it illegal to text or read any e-mail or text message while driving, and fines are higher for school bus drivers caught in the act. But the law only applies to the driver while the vehicle is moving, not when Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE it’s stopped or parked. Warren County High School student Chris Terry runs over a cone while driving and texting Police officers and other with Trooper L. Settles in the golf cart as Trooper Dwight Green looks on Wednesday mornsafety officials are also ing. The new texting while driving ban goes into effect on Dec. 1. exempt.