The Daily Dispatch - Tuesday, December 1, 2009 by The Daily Dispatch

CMYK VC Special Olympians play Bocce

Crossroads takes rematch with Victory Kayla Felts wins Dispatch Football Contest

Our Hometown, Page 2A

Sports, Page 1B

Sports, Page 4B TUESDAY, December 1, 2009

Volume XCV, No. 281

(252) 436-2700

Shooting claims life of elderly Oxford man

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Ringing in the season!

By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer

OXFORD — A 77-yearold man is dead after being shot on Sunday evening. Frank J. Branch died while undergoing surgery after being flown to Duke University Medical Center by a Duke Life Flight helicopter, Police Chief John Wolford said in a statement. Wolford said officers responded at approximately 6:20 p.m. to Branch’s 603-B Raleigh St. address in the southeastern part of the city after a call about someone having been shot. Wolford said that no arrests have been made and that, due to conflicting statements from potential witnesses, there are a number of scenarios on which detectives are following up. This is not the first time police have had to deal with trouble in the southeastern part of the city this year. Officers, responding to a report of gunfire on Aug. 30, saw a large crowd in front of Henderson Street duplex apartments 337A and 337B. Police said a man had fired a handgun in the air, with the incident having been part of an ongoing feud between neighbors. Five persons were booked in connection with that incident. The other shooting happened on Aug. 13 in the Peace Street area and police booked three persons. Police have said they believe that incident appears to have been gang related.

Shooting leaves 3 injured

Henderson police sorting out details; arrests pending By DISPATCH STAFF

Three men suffered gunshot wounds in an altercation on Merriman Street Sunday afternoon, Henderson police reports say. Eddie Williams, 41, and Michael Brodie, 39, were Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE taken to Maria Parham Medical Center by ambulance for The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign kicked off last week with a ceremony outside the treatment of gunshot wounds, Walmart in Henderson, beginning a drive that organizers hope will raise more than $35,000 according to a press release to help the needy of area communities. Salvation Army Major James McCurdy, left, presents issued by Henderson Police Henderson Mayor Pro-Tem Lonnie Davis with a bell so he can officially “ring” off the camChief Keith Sidwell Monday paign Friday morning. McCurdy said kettles are located at both entrances of the Henderson morning. Walmart, at the Roses stores at Henderson Mall and on Norlina Road, at Walgreens on Oxford Antonio Hart, 33, was Road, and at the Walmarts in Oxford, Louisburg and Roanoke Rapids. The kettles are manned taken by private vehicle to each day through Christmas Eve by members of various civic clubs, school clubs, businesses, the hospital. He, too, had suschurches, government employees and other organizations. Anyone wishing to volunteer to tained a gunshot wound. ring the bell should call Anita Smith at 438-7107. Williams was treated and released, officials at Maria Parham told The Daily Dispatch on Monday afternoon. They were unable to provide information about the nature of his injuries. Brodie and Hart were Zollicoffer cited both the while the law is generally By WILLIAM F. WEST transferred to Duke Univerattorney-client privilege silent on letting outsiders Daily Dispatch Writer sity Medical Center for further and the need to discuss into sessions excluding the treatment, the release said. an economic development press and public, there is a An attorney for the N.C. They were in stable condition more-narrow rule saying no matter as the exemptions Press Association said at Duke, according to Henderto North Carolina’s open outsiders may be present she believes Henderson’s son Police Lt. Charles Pulley. meetings laws. The council, when the local government government acted wrongly “None of the wounds are which met openly in the in letting City Councilwom- cites the attorney-client life threatening,” Chief Sidwell privilege as a reason for go- council chambers, later an-elect Sara Coffey sit in said in the press release. went into closed session in ing into a closed session. on a closed session of the The shooting reportedly a conference room. During the Nov. 23 council. occurred in the street in the council short regular meetAmanda Martin told the Contact the writer at bwest@ Please see SESSION, page 3A 400 block of Merriman Street ing, City Attorney John The Daily Dispatch that, at 4:15 p.m. on Sunday. hendersondispatch.com.

Press attorney: City in error letting member-elect attend closed session

Vance man dies after being brought to jail Sheriff requests autopsy, asks SBI to assist in investigation By DISPATCH STAFF

An autopsy has been requested by Vance County Sheriff Peter White after the death of a man who

50 cents

had been brought to the jail on Friday morning. Sheriff White said he has also asked the State Bureau of Investigation to assist in the investigation of the death of Alphonso Perry, 36, of 1208 Parham Street. According to the sheriff’s press release issued Monday morning, Perry was brought to the Vance County Jail by the Henderson Police Department

at approximately 1:05 a.m. Friday. The sheriff identified the Henderson Police officers as Simmons and Overton. “Mr. Perry was not under arrest but was brought in due to being intoxicated,” the sheriff said. “EMS (Emergency Medical Services) was called at approximately 1:25 a.m. after Mr. Perry began showing signs of breathing difficulty while

changing from soaking wet street clothes into the jail jumpsuit.” The sheriff said Perry was never placed in any cell during his brief time at the jail. He was taken from the jail to Maria Parham Medical Center at approximately 1:50 a.m., the sheriff said. He was pronounced dead at MPMC shortly thereafter.

“The exact cause of death is unknown at this time,” Sheriff White said. “An autopsy has been requested in order to determine the official cause,” he said. An obit for Perry appears on Page 4A in today’s edition.

Groups providing lightweight jackets for students in area

Creedmoor armed pair still at large One of two men wanted in the armed robbery of a store in Creedmoor is shown in this surveillance video photograph. Officers said two men fled in a Honda Accord or Civic after robbery the Northside Grocery at 1:20 p.m. Saturday. They remain at large and Granville sheriff’s officers are asking for help in getting information. Calls should be directed to (919) 693-3213 or Crime Stoppers at (919) 693-3100. Details, Page 3A

WARRENTON – Warren County middle school and high school students may have a warmer Christmas this year. Warren County Training School and North Warren High School alumni, Warren County School System and Warren County Memorial Library are working together to provide lightweight jackets to students for the holiday season. The jacket drive will

Send comments to news@ hendersondispatch.com.

Index Our Hometown . . . . . 2A Business . . . . . . . . . . 7A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . 10A Light Side . . . . . . . . 13A Sports. . . . . . . . . . 1-5B Comics . . . . . . . . . . . 6B Classified. . . . . . . . 7-9B

Weather Today

Send comments about this article to the newspaper at news@hendersondispatch.com.

‘Giving Tree’ promises a warmer Chistmas for Warren County children

By DAVID IRVINE Daily Dispatch Writer

He added, “No arrests have been made in this incident.” Lt. Pulley said no other people were thought to have been involved in the incident. Lt. Pulley said that the shootings apparently occurred Brodie and Hart went to talk to Williams about an altercation that had taken place earlier with a fourth person. Upon their arrival to the area, police found Williams and Brodie. Hart apparently was not at the scene but was tied to the incident after being transported to the hospital. “Basically, we’re still interviewing witnesses and sorting out just what happened,” Lt. Pulley said late Monday afternoon. Broadcast reports from WRAL-TV earlier had indicated that a suspect, identified as Robert Brody, had been arrested, contrary to the police reports. The chief said this morning that the investigation is continuing by members of the HPD’s Criminal Investigations Division. Anyone with information involving this incident is asked to contact the HPD at (252) 438-4141 or HendersonVance Crime Stoppers at (252) 492-1925.

kick off between 4 and 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 4. Centerpiece of the project will be a Christmas Giving Tree located in the library. Hanging from its branches will be cards, each one containing information about a student in need of winter wear. School counselors will select the students. They will provide information about each student, including size and gender, and information about the Please see ‘Giving Tree’, page 5A

Sunny

High: 60 Low: 36

Wednesday Rain

High: 54 Low: 52

Details, 3A

Deaths Creedmoor Margree Winston Durham Preston Bizzell, 65 Henderson Rachel A. Best, 92 Lee Anne Dorr, 64 Jimmie L. Johnson, Jr., 60 Moses E. Jones, 42 Theodore R. McDowell, 61 Ruth C. Nelson, 80 Alfonso Perry, 36 Norlina Randolph Fogg, 58 Townsville Walter G. Appun, 87

Obituaries, 4A

Our Hometown

The Daily Dispatch

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Relay for Life Events

Mark It Down Today Board of Elections — The Vance County Board of Elections will meet at 11 a.m. in the Board of Elections office at 300 S. Garnett St. in the Henry A. Dennis Building. 4-H event — Today is the deadline to register for 4-H Holiday Craft Carousel on Dec. 5 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Vance County Extension Office at 305 Young St. Cost is $5 and spaces are limited. Open to all youth ages 5-18. Call (252) 438-8188 for more info. Light The Night — The “Light the Night in Downtown Henderson” lighting ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. Sponsored by the Henderson-Vance Downtown Development Commission, the ceremony marks the official “lighting of the greens” in downtown Henderson. The choirs from Greater Little Zion Holiness Church and Room at the Cross Pentecostal Holiness Church will be singing Christmas carols. The ceremony will take place on Garnett Street in front of the Vance County Senior Center. Water district meeting — A Vance County Water District sign-up meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Carver Elementary School, 987 Carver School Road, in the cafeteria. The purpose of the meeting is to provide an opportunity to sign up and pay the early signup/connection fee of $125 as well as have technical questions answered.

Wednesday Clean-Up Henderson — The Clean-Up Henderson Committee meets at 8 a.m. at the City Operations Center. The public is invited to attend. Grant workshop — A free workshop for those interested in applying for grant funding through Teen With Power, a program of the Vance County Community Foundation, will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce, 414 S. Garnett Street in Henderson. The workshop will allow applicants to ask questions about the application and talk about their ideas for projects. Registration is by e-mailing jlawson@nccommunityfoundation.org or calling 1-800-201-9533. Redevelopment Commission — The City of Henderson’s Redevelopment Commission will meet at 10 a.m. in the City Council Chambers of City Hall, 134 Rose Ave. Joint replacement surgery class — Rehabilitation Services at Maria Parham Medical Center is offering a free before-surgery class for those who have elected to have joint replacement surgery. The class will be held from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in the classroom at the hospital. For more information, call Ben Soyden at (252) 436-1235.

Craft/bake sale

Participating in the tournament were (first row, left to right) Clyde Peace, Olivia Smith, D.J. Johnson and R.J. Saucier; (second row, left to right): Rudy May, Larry Hawkins and Estella Vacher; (third row, left to right) Tina Ayscue and Kelly Ayscue, along with coaches Jessica Lloyd, Michelle King and Angela Feingold.

Special Olympians compete in first bocce tournament Special Olympics Vance County has just completed its first bocce season, culminating in a local tournament at the Aycock Recreation Center in November. Bocce has been an official sport of Special Olympics North Carolina since 1991. It can be played in singles, doubles, or teams of four. Bocce is played with eight balls and one smaller target ball called the pallina. Each side has four of the eight bocce balls. One player tosses the pallina

Guidelines The Daily Dispatch staff asks that items intended for inclusion in the calendar be submitted in writing at least five days in advance of the event. Please include a contact person’s name and phone number in case there are questions. Items for this listing can be e-mailed to communitynews@hendersondispatch.com.

communitynews@hendersondispatch.com or faxed to (252) 436-0125. Submitted photos are kept for 30 days after appearing in the paper and may be picked up at any time after they appear in the paper. For more information on community news guidelines, contact Linda Gupton, features editor, at 436-2837.

finishing with silver; and Estella Vacher, finishing with bronze. The second division consisted of D.J. Johnson finishing with gold and R.J. Saucier finishing with silver. The third division consisted of Olivia Smith finishing with gold and Clyde Peace finishing with silver. Special Olympics Vance County has recently started its basketball season. Please call Julie Beichner, Special Olympics Vance County local coordinator, for more information at (252) 431-6091.

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onto the court and then throws his/her bocce ball as close as possible to the pallina. Each team then takes turns tossing its bocce balls to get closer to the pallina, and the closest ball determines the winning team and points for that frame. The athletes had been practicing since September with coaches Angela Feingold, Michelle King and Jessica Lloyd. The tournament had three divisions: the first consisted of Rudy May, finishing with gold; Larry Hawkins,

Relay For Life/Britthaven Team will hold a craft and bake sale on Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Baked goods, numerous crafts, and sausage biscuits will be sold. Raffle tickets will also be sold for an NCAA championship basketball signed by Tyler Hansbrough and for a diamond and sapphire ladies’ ring. For more information, contact Jayne Bennett or Pat Pegram at (252) 4927021.

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From Page One

The Daily Dispatch

FIVE-DAY FORECAST FOR HENDERSON TODAY

TONIGHT

WEDNESDAY

Sunny

Mostly Cloudy

Scat'd Rain

60º

36º

54º 52º

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Few Showers

Mostly Sunny

Sunny

62º 34º

50º 28º

49º 27º

Almanac

Sun and Moon

Temperature

Sunrise today . . . . . Sunset tonight . . . . Moonrise today . . . Moonset today . . . . Sunrise tomorrow . Sunset tomorrow . . Moonrise tomorrow Moonset tomorrow .

Raleigh -Durham through 6 p.m. yest. High . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Normal High . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Normal Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Record High . . . . . . . . .77 in 2006 Record Low . . . . . . . . .16 in 1979

.7:06 .4:59 .4:17 .6:27 .7:07 .4:59 .5:15 .7:35

Moon Phases

Precipitation Yesterday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Trace Month to date . . . . . . . . . . . .6.73" Normal month to date . . . . .2.97" Year to date . . . . . . . . . . . . .34.16" Normal year to date . . . . . .40.01"

Full 12/2

New 12/16

Last 12/8

First 12/24

Lake Levels Elevation in feet above sea level. Data as of 7 a.m. yesterday. Lake Gaston Kerr

24-Hr. Lake Capacity Yest. Change Jordan 240 217.7 -0.1 Neuse Falls 264 252.4 -0.3

24-Hr. Capacity Yest. Change 203 199.6 +0.6 320 304.0 -0.3

Regional Weather Henderson 60/36

Winston-Salem Durham 60/39 58/38 Asheville 57/38

Rocky Mt. 61/35

Greensboro 59/38 Raleigh 60/39 Charlotte 60/40

Fayetteville 62/40

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Cape Hatteras 54/46

Wilmington 61/49

Regional Cities Today

Today

Wed.

City

Hi/Lo Wx Hi/Lo Wx City

Hi/Lo Wx Hi/Lo Wx

Asheville Boone Burlington Chapel Hill Chattanooga Danville Durham Elizabeth City Elizabethton Fayetteville Goldsboro Greensboro Greenville Havelock Hendersonville

57/38 53/38 60/37 60/37 58/42 59/34 60/39 56/40 54/35 62/40 62/41 59/38 58/39 59/38 58/39

59/37 59/37 59/39 61/42 61/51 57/43 55/45 59/39 60/39 56/36 60/36 61/35 60/38 61/49 58/38

s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s

47/40 48/40 53/51 54/52 55/36 56/48 55/53 64/58 54/40 58/56 58/56 52/50 62/55 62/58 45/40

ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra sh sh ra

High Point Jacksonville Kinston Lumberton Myrtle Beach Morehead City Nags Head New Bern Raleigh Richmond Roanoke Rapids Rocky Mount Sanford Wilmington Winston-Salem

s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s

52/50 63/57 62/55 60/55 64/58 63/61 60/60 62/56 55/53 57/53 55/53 57/55 55/53 65/58 52/50

ra sh sh ra ra sh mc sh ra ra ra ra ra ra ra

Send comments to the newspaper at news@hendersondispatch.com.

SESSION, from page one Martin on Monday told the Dispatch that, “Ordinarily, the presence of a third party destroys the attorney-client privilege, which in turn would destroy the basis for conducting the meeting in closed session. Though Coffey ultimately will be the city attorney’s client, she is not now and will not be until she is sworn in.” “I will tell you there are no North Carolina cases directly on point on this, though there is a statute that makes it a Class One misdemeanor to start performing the duties of an office before taking the oath of office,” Martin said. “That, coupled with the requirements of the attorneyclient privilege, make me say the closed session was improper,” Martin said. Coffey defeated Councilman Bernard Alston in the Oct. 6 municipal election. Coffey will be sworn in on Dec. 14 along with re-elected Mayor Pete O’Geary and the seven re-elected council members. Alston was not present when the council met on Nov. 23. After the council com-

pleted the closed session and returned to open session, Councilwoman Mary Emma Evans brought up the question about whether the council had been in order when letting Coffey attend the closed session. “I think we were,” Zollicoffer told Evans at one point as she sought clarity. Evans said that, before the council went into closed session, she had been approached by two persons. Evans said the two wanted to know whether the council’s policy allowed anyone who had not been installed as a council member to go into a closed session. Zollicoffer said he believed city staff and an elected official could go into a closed session under certain circumstances, with the city attorney noting staff had been present for the Nov. 23 closed session. “What kind of circumstances?” Evans asked. Evans noted Alston not having been present, but noted she was in agreement with letting Coffey be present for the Nov. 23 closed session. Zollicoffer said he did not

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are sworn to secrecy and City Councilman Michael Inscoe noted there was no objection by any council members. When Evans asked whether the council had acted appropriately, O’Geary immediately followed by asking Zollicoffer, “John, are we all set on that?” “Well, I think we are. I’ll put it that way. We’ve done it,” Zollicoffer said. The council moved ahead with a work session. Councilman Michael Rainey was not present when the council returned to the open session and was not present for the work session. Contact the writer at bwest@hendersondispatch. com.

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believe it made any difference whether Alston was present. “I think we have the right to have an elected official come in if it’s something they will be discussing later on,” Zollicoffer said. Evans wanted to know whether this applies even when a council member has not been sworn in. “I think that it should be permitted,” Zollicoffer said. “Now, I haven’t done any research on it, I’ll be frank with you.” “Okay, that’s fine with me,” Evans said. “But, they will be involved in the issues we discussed,” Zollicoffer added. City Councilman Garry Daeke noted those present for the Nov. 23 closed session

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An armed gunman points his weapon at a store clerk at the Northside Grocery in Creedmoor on Saturday afternoon. Granville sheriff’s officers are asking for help in locating the gunmen.

ay yd

Today’s National Map

CREEDMOOR — Two men remain at large following the weekend holdup of Northside Grocery. The two, armed with handguns, entered the store, which is at 1221 U.S. 15 near the Interstate 85/U.S. 15 interchange, and robbed clerks and customers of unknown amounts of money. Authorities said they believe the two fled in a brown or burgundy Honda Accord or Civic and turned onto I-85 in the direction of Durham County.

Both robbers are described as black and believed to be in their early 20s. One is approximately 6 feet tall and weighs 160 pounds. The other is approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 180 pounds. The robbery occurred at approximately 1:20 p.m. Saturday. Anyone with information is urged to phone the Granville County Sheriff’s Department at (919) 693-3213 or Crime Stoppers at (919) 693-3100.

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110s 100s 90s 80s 70s 60s 50s 40s 30s 20s 10s 0s

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Tuesday, December 1, 2009

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“Glimpses of Granville” now showing at the Harris Exhibit Hall, 1 Museum Lane, Oxford Also join us “visit with mrs. Clause” on Friday, December 4th 3–6 pm before the parade $1 Tickets are available for purchase to ride with Santa in the parade. Drawing will be on December 3rd. The 2009 Christmas Ornament is now available in the gift shop.

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Xxxxxxday, Xxxxxx XX, 200X

Deaths Rachel A. Best HENDERSON — Rachel Geneva Ayscue Best, age 92, a resident of 4540 US 1/Hwy. 158 North, died Monday, November 30, 2009, at her home. Born in Franklin County on May 26, 1917, she was the daughter of the late Peter Thomas Ayscue and Jodie Hamm Ayscue, and was the widow of William Howard Best, Sr. Mrs. Best was retired from the former Leggett’s Department Store, and was a homemaker and a member of Brookston Presbyterian Church. Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the J.M. White Funeral Home Chapel by the Rev. Barry Stallings. Burial will follow in Sunset Gardens. She is survived by one son, William Howard Best, Jr., and wife, Janet, of Henderson; one daughter, Kathy B. Jones and husband, Randal, of Henderson; her sister-inlaw, Evelyn A. Woodward of Schenectady, N.Y.; five grandchildren, Glenn Best and wife, Jenni, of Coatesville, Pa., Sherry B. Rosch and husband, Bob, of Boyton, Va., Buddy Vaughan and wife, Tonya, Christine Jackson and husband, Eli, and Chase Jones, all of Henderson; eight greatgrandchildren, McKenzie Vaughan, Tyler Hayes,

Matthew Vaughan, Tory Vaughan, Taylor Jackson, Justin Best, Josh Best, and McKenna Best; and two step-grandchildren, Christian and Jessica. She was preceded in death by her siblings, Mamie Lou Ayscue, Staley Thomas Ayscue, Lonie May Ayscue Adcock, Otha Henry Ayscue, Arthur Lewis Ayscue, Millard Brinkley Ayscue, Ruth Louise Ayscue Rushton, Ollie Newell Ayscue, and Beatrice Virginia Ayscue Booth. The family will receive friends today from 7 until 8:30 p.m. at J.M. White Funeral Home. At other times they will be at the home of Bill and Janet Best at 323 West Creek Road. Serving as active pallbearers will be Russell Dillard, George Wheller Pegram Jr., Greg Renn, Scott Renn, and William Nelson Vaughan III. Flowers will be accepted or memorial contributions may be made to Community Home Health and Hospice, 1242 Dabney Drive, Henderson, N.C. 27536. The family would like to thank her nurses, Dolly Strickland, Mary Ann Lunsford, Lynette Tilley, and her aide, Debbie Minor. Arrangements are by J.M. White Funeral Home. Paid Obituary

Walter G. Appun

Lee Anne Dorr

Theodore R. McDowell

TOWNSVILLE — Walter Gustav Appun, age 87, a resident of 174 Beartrack Trail, died Monday, Nov. 30, 2009, at Maria Parham Medical Center. Arrangements will be announced later by J.M. White Funeral Home.

HENDERSON — Lee Anne Dorr, age 64, a resident of 102 Fernwood Creek Court, died Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009, at UNC Hospital. Arrangements will be announced by J.M. White Funeral Home.

HENDERSON — Theodore R. McDowell, 61, of 852 Eastside Drive, died Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009, at his home. Arrangements are by Wright Funeral Home of Oxford.

Preston Bizzell DURHAM — Preston Bizzell, 65, of 1405 Leon St., died Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009, at 814 East “E” St., in Butner. He was a native of Green County and the son of the late Leonard Bizzell and Edith Warren Bizzell. He was a veteran of the U.S. Marines and the U.S. Air Force. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. today at Mount Vernon Baptist Church by the Rev. J. Eric Morgan. Burial will be in South Granville Memorial Gardens. He is survived by a son, Rod Bizzell of Raleigh; two daughters, Tamika Bizzell of Butner and Donna Bizzell of Richmond, Va.; a sister, Margaret, of Durham; and seven grandchildren. The viewing was on Monday from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. at Wright Funeral Home in Oxford. Arrangements are by Wright Funeral Home of Oxford.

Randolph Fogg NORLINA — Randolph “Pete” Fogg, 58, of Norlina, died Monday, Nov. 30, 2009, at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Funeral services are incomplete at this time but will be announced later by Boyd’s Funeral Service in Warrenton.

Jimmie L. Johnson Jr. HENDERSON — The Rev. Jimmie Lee Johnson Jr., 60, of 2750 Glebe Road, died Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009, at Duke Medical Center. The family will receive friends at the residence of Glebe Road. Funeral arrangements will be announced by DavisRoyster Funeral Service.

Moses E. Jones HENDERSON — Moses Eugene Jones, 42, of 91 Cherryville Lane, in the Williamsboro community. The family will receive friends at the residence. Funeral arrangements will be announced by DavisRoyster Funeral Service.

Ruth C. Nelson HENDERSON — Ruth Cheatham Nelson, 80, of 1903 Francis Ave., died Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009, at her residence. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Davis-Royster Funeral Service.

Alfonso Perry HENDERSON — Alfonso Perry, 36, of 306 Mulberry St., died Friday, Nov. 27, 2009, at Maria Parham Medical Center. He was born in Durham County and was the son of Benny Jr. and Lillian Blanche McKinney Perry. He attended the Vance County public schools and

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CREEDMOOR — Margree Winston, of 2667 Rock Spring Church Road, died Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009, at her home. Arrangements are by Wright Funeral Home of Oxford.

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joined Crusade Pentecostal Church at an early age. Chapel services will be conducted Wednesday at noon in the chapel of Davis-Royster Funeral Service by the Rev. William C. Brodie. Burial will follow in the Blacknall Cemetery. Survivors include his parents, Benny Jr. and Lillian Perry of Henderson; four brothers, Benny Perry III, Tyrone Perry and Curtis E. Perry, all of Henderson, and Benjamine Perry of Georgia. The family will receive friends at the residence. The body will be on view today from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. at the funeral home. Funeral arrangements are by Davis-Royster Funeral Service.

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The Daily Dispatch

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Suspect in officer killings Competency hearing begins in Smart case eludes law in Seattle By JENNIFER DOBNER Associated Press Writer

SEATTLE (AP) — Authorities believe the man sought in the slaying of four police officers is still alive and has been aided by a network of friends and family, a police spokesman said Monday night. Officers believe Maurice Clemmons was shot in the abdomen during the attack on the officers at a Parkland coffee shop, and had speculated he might have died. But Ed Troyer, a spokesman for the Pierce County Sheriff, said investigators have questioned several people who had provided assistance to Clemmons since the Sunday morning shootings. “We think his network of people helping him is running out.” Troyer said. “He’s probably on his own.” Police are also certain Clemmons, 37, was in a Seattle house on Sunday night, but was able to flee before police could contain the area. Police staked out the house overnight before SWAT team members determined early Monday that Clemmons wasn’t there. Clemmons has had access to handguns, rifles and shotguns, Troyer said. “It’s unfortunate he’s been a step or two ahead of us.” Monday morning’s realization that the suspect had not been cornered after all prompted police to fan out across the city, looking for any sign of Clemmons. Authorities posted a $125,000 reward for information leading to his arrest in the Sunday morning shooting rampage. The manhunt came as authorities in two states took heat for the fact that Clemmons was allowed to walk the streets despite a teenage crime spree in Arkansas that landed him a 95-year prison sentence. He was released early after then-Gov. Mike Huckabee commuted his sentence. “This guy should have never been on the street,” said Brian D. Wurts, president of the police union in Lakewood, where all four slain officers worked. “Our elected officials need to find out why these people are out.” Police said they are not sure what prompted Clemmons to assassinate the officers as they worked on their laptop computers at the beginning of their shifts. He was described as increasingly erratic in the past few months and had been arrested earlier this year on charges that he punched a sheriff’s deputy in the face.

SALT LAKE CITY — Witness testimony during a federal court hearing for the man charged in the 2002 abduction of Elizabeth Smart on Monday began to paint a picture of a self-absorbed, intelligent and controlling person. Brian David Mitchell was also concerned about his public image, wanted to be recognized as a Mormon prophet and was obsessive about his personal habits — eating on a rigid schedule and exercising for hours at a time — and his religion, said stepdaughter LouRee Gaylor. “Religion was everything,” said Gaylor, whose mother, Wanda Eileen Barzee, has already pleaded guilty to kidnapping and other charges in the case. Gaylor, 34, was the last of four prosecution witnesses who testified. Mitchell, 56, was indicted on charges of kidnapping and unlawful transportation of a minor across state lines in 2008 — five years after he was arrested. He faces a lifetime prison sentence if convicted. Religion was at the center of daily life, said Gaylor, who lived with the couple for two years beginning in 1988. But the kind image Mitchell projected to outsiders was a ruse, she said. “It was a cover-up,” said

Gaylor, who moved out after learning the couple had cooked and served her a pet rabbit for dinner one night. “It was so they could get people to do things for them.” At home, Mitchell was dominating, used abusive language and displayed inappropriate sexual behavior, including showing her pornographic pictures during a family prayer session, Gaylor said. Mitchell’s federal public defenders did not challenge Gaylor’s statements on Monday. Federal prosecutors contend Mitchell is competent and faking or exaggerating psychiatric symptoms to avoid prosecution. But defense attorneys dispute that conclusion and say the former street preacher is unable to participate in his defense. In state court, Mitchell was diagnosed with a rare delusional disorder and twice deemed incompetent for trial, stalling a criminal case there. On Monday, Mitchell repeated a pattern of disruptive court appearances, singing Christmas carols — including “Silent Night” and “Joy to the World” — for 12 minutes before being removed to a holding cell where he could hear and watch the hearing. After the hearing, U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball’s will determine how the case proceeds — either to a trial or toward treatment

‘GIVING TREE’, from page one school system’s uniform dress code. Confidentiality will be protected by identifying students by numbers. Local citizens are invited to visit the Christmas Giving Tree on Friday, take a card, purchase a jacket and return it wrapped to the library by Tuesday, Dec. 15. On or

about Thursday, Dec. 17, a ceremony will be held to present the gifts to each school’s representative. If a participant is not available to come to the library, a representative of the WCTS-NWHS Alumni Association will pick a card from the tree and notify the participant with the

pertinent information. Members of the alumni association are planning to go door to door in downtown Warrenton to solicit participation in the program. All participants will be listed in a thank-you advertisement that will run in a local newspaper

during the week of Dec. 21. To sponsor one or several youths, please contact one of the following: Henry Durham at (252) 257-6777 or Martina Williams at (252) 456-2635. Contact the writer at dirvine@hendersondispatch.com.

that could restore Mitchell’s competency. Also Monday, two psychiatric technicians who worked at the Utah State Hospital when Mitchell was held there testified. Tye Jensen and David Talley both said Mitchell was smart and formed relationships with other patients. He often walked the hospital halls for hours and prayed while standing at a window with a towel over his head, sometimes bouncing up and down on his feet, Jensen said. Daniel Peterson, a Brigham Young University professor of Islamic studies and Arabic, gave the court an analysis of Mitchell’s reli-

gious writings, including the 27-page manifesto known as the “The Book of Emmanuel David Isaiah.” The tract outlines Mitchell’s own brand of religion, a mix of early Mormon theology and teachings from practitioners of alternative medicine and New Age spiritualists. Peterson said the book and a second tract written last year are “marinated” with religious references and appear to be heavily researched or copied from the Bible or Mormon scriptures. “It’s quite well done,” Peterson said. “It’s an impressive production in a certain sense.”

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Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Reptile rules, texting ban in 50-plus new NC laws By GARY D. ROBERTSON Associated Press Writer

RALEIGH — People who own crocodiles, venomous snakes and large pythons in North Carolina must secure them in containers and face prosecution if the reptiles gravely attack a friend or stranger in legislation that takes effect Tuesday. The new reptile rules are among more than 50 largely criminal justice laws approved this year, including a texting-while-driving ban for all motorists, more authority for state officers who oversee probationers and the most significant changes to the state’s sentencing grid since it began. The minimum safety requirements for keeping dangerous reptiles are designed to update an abridged 60-yearold reptile law, said Andrew Wyatt of Coinjock, president of the United States Association of Reptile Keepers. Private owners now will have to store or transport venomous reptiles, large constricting snakes and nonnative crocodilians in “escape-proof” and “bite-proof” enclosures with a working lock. The enclosures must be labeled to include emergency contact information and what should happen if the reptile bites someone or escapes. Someone who intentionally or negligently handles these reptiles could be charged with a misdemeanor. The owner could face up to 150 days in jail if someone besides a family member or employee suffers a life-threatening injury or dies as a result. A current owner who doesn’t follow the new rules also could face a similar punishment if the person releases a nonnative reptile into the wild, instead of finding a new owner. The new driving-whiletexting ban builds upon a

2006 law already making it illegal for young drivers to use a cell phone while driving as a way to reduce distractions on the road. Now all drivers are barred from text messaging or sending e-mails with their cell phones while on a road or highway, even if the car is idling at a stop light. There are some exceptions. Violators could face a $100 fine plus $130 in court costs. Adults can continue to send or receive cell phone calls. At least 18 other states have texting bans for all drivers, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. The state Highway Patrol says too many young people are still ignoring the 2006 law. The patrol is holding safety events at high schools where teenagers travel in golf carts and try to avoid traffic cones while being told to send a text message. Reforms taking effect to better monitor the state’s 114,000 probationers or parolees are based on recommendations after problems surfaced following last year’s death of University of North Carolina student president Eve Carson. The two men charged with Carson’s killing were on probation at the time of her death. Now probation officers can have access to an offender’s juvenile records without a court order to get a better handle on the person’s criminal history. Warrantless

searches also can now be a condition of probation. Two new laws that adjust the grid used by judges since 1995 to determine a range of minimum and maximum time that offenders must serve also could reduce the need for 2,100 prison beds by 2020. The grid changes will make some sentences shorter — up to 28 months less in the most extreme cases — and slightly longer for low-grade felonies. More second-time offenders for less serious felonies also are more likely to receive probation. Other laws taking effect Tuesday will: • fine motorists as much as $100 if they drive a car with a license plate frame that covers the state name or plate date. Drivers who are cited will receive only a warning through next November. • ban the sale, possession and manufacture of Salvia divinorum, a hallucinogenic herb that’s become popular among young people. • permit people who lose their licenses because of repeat drunken-driving convictions to ask that their driving privileges be restored after a spotless record for 10 years. • expand the law making it a felony to solicit a child by computer to commit unlawful sex acts to include cell phones.

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Back-to-Back Rated five-staR foR hip Replacement in 2009-2010

H H H H H Granville health system is honored to again receive a five-star rating of excellence for quality outcomes in total hip replacement for 2010. HealthGrades®, the nation’s leading independent health care ratings organization, issued this rating based on the outstanding past and present performance of Granville Health System’s hip replacement procedures. Granville Health System was again the only health care facility to receive this honor in our surrounding area, including Oxford, Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary and Smithfield. “As a physician, I understand the Granville health system importance for my patients to have a would like to thank pain-free lifestyle. When we replace a the orthopaedic patient’s hip, we think of that person’s life being improved...with a new freedom, surgeons that made free of the pain they’ve lived with,” said this rating possible: Dr. Steven Winters, Orthopaedic Surgeon. dr. steven Winters Granville Health System is committed to delivering quality health care to the community it serves. “I’m honored that GHS is rated among the best in the Nation for total hip replacement outcomes. It is truly gratifying to know GHS is recognized for quality Orthopaedic services, but seeing our patient’s quality-of-life improve means the most to me,” said Dr. Ralph Liebelt, Orthopaedic Surgeon.

(left) and dr. Ralph liebelt (right).

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The Daily Dispatch

Business & Farm

Area

A DAY ON WALL STREET

Dow Jones industrials

10,000 8,000 A

Pct. change from previous: +0.34%

High 10,364.34

2,400

Nasdaq composite

2,200 2,000 1,800 1,600

+6.16 A

High 2,146.93

Pct. change from previous: +0.29%

Standard & Poorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 500 +4.14

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in five-star rated hospitals when compared with one-star rated hospitals across a range of procedures studied, such as knee replacement and hip replacement surgeries. Top-performing hospitals also dramatically outperformed the national average, with patients experiencing, on average, 61 percent fewer inhospital complications among the procedures studied, the press release stated.

Low 1,086.25 AP

MARKET ROUNDUP 113009: Market charts show Dow, S&P 500, and urrencies etals Nasdaq; stand-alone; 2c x 4 1/2 inches; 96 mm x 114 mm; staff NEW YORK (AP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Key currency ex Aluminum â&#x20AC;&#x201D; $.8871 per lb., London Metal Editors: All figures as of: 5:25:03 PM EST change rates Monday: Exch. NOTE: Figures reflect market fluctuations after close; not match other content Coppermay â&#x20AC;&#x201D;$3.0616 Cathode fullAP plate, LME. Dollar vs: ExchgRate PvsDay Copper $3.1485 N.Y. Merc spot Mon. Yen 86.29 86.70 Lead â&#x20AC;&#x201D; $2288.50 metric ton, London Euro $1.4993 $1.4954 Metal Exch. Pound $1.6424 $1.6479 Zinc â&#x20AC;&#x201D; $0.9956 per lb., London Metal Exch. Swiss franc 1.0061 1.0065 Gold â&#x20AC;&#x201D; $1175.75 Handy & Harman (only Canadian dollar 1.0570 1.0623 daily quote). Mexican peso 12.9170 12.9200 Gold â&#x20AC;&#x201D; $1181.10 troy oz., NY Merc spot Mon. Metal Price PvsDay Silver â&#x20AC;&#x201D; $18.320 Handy & Harman (only NY Merc Gold $1181.10 $1174.20 daily quote). NY HSBC Bank US $1177.00 $1172.00 Silver â&#x20AC;&#x201D; $18.495 troy oz., N.Y. Merc spot NY Merc Silver $18.495 $18.302Â Mon. Platinum â&#x20AC;&#x201D;$1445.00 troy oz., N.Y. (contract). Nonferrous Platinum â&#x20AC;&#x201D;$1460.20 troy oz., N.Y. Merc NEW YORK (AP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Spot nonferrous metal spot Mon. n.q.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;not quoted, n.a.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;not available râ&#x20AC;&#x201D;revised prices Monday:

& M

ACS ATT Ball Corp. BankAmerica BB&T Coca-Cola CVS Duke Energy Exxon Ford General Elec. Home Depot IBM Johnson & Johnson Kennametal Krispy Kreme Louisiana Pacific Lowes Lucent Tech. Pepsico Phillip Morris Procter & Gamble Progress Energy RF Micro Dev Royal Bk Can RJR Tobacco Revlon Sprint Sun Trust Universal Verizon Comm. Vulcan Wal-Mart Wendyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Establis Delhaize

55.20 26.94 49.41 15.85 24.90 57.20 31.01 16.68 75.07 8.89 16.02 27.36 126.35 62.84 22.50 3.22 5.22 21.81 3.34 62.22 18.81 62.35 39.09 4.32 54.19 49.96 18.10 3.71 23.63 42.91 31.46 48.48 54.55 4.10 76.15

Stocks turn higher to extend monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s big gains NEW YORK (AP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The market ended November with its best monthly performance since the summer â&#x20AC;&#x201D; even as investors worried about the holiday shopping season.

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High 1,097.24

Granville Health System receives Five Stars again the United States engaged in orthopaedic surgery. The analysis ranks Granville Health System among the top 15 percent of all hospitals nationwide providing total hip replacement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Granville Health System has built its success on consistently delivering quality health care to our community,â&#x20AC;? said L. Lee Isley, GHS chief executive officer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Receiving this recognition two years in a row is a reminder of the outstanding care our medical team and staff provides on a daily basis.â&#x20AC;? A wide variation in quality exists among American hospitals, according to the twelfth annual HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America study. Patients were 80 percent less likely to experience a major complication

1,200 1,100 1,000 900 800 700 600

SOURCE: SunGard

At its Nov. 18 meeting, the Henderson-Vance County Economic Development Commission (EDC) recognized Eric Cheek (center), owner of E-Clips Barber & Beauty Center at 1212 Andrews Ave., for the national recognition he has received as a highly talented and creative barber and for representing Henderson and Vance County in such a positive and professional manner. Presenting the plaque to Cheek are (left) Sam Watkins, EDC board chairman, and Paul Harris, EDC vice chairman.

OXFORD â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Granville Health System announced that it was recently awarded the 2010 five-star rating of excellence for quality outcomes in total hip replacement from HealthGrades, the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading independent health care ratings organization. The outstanding score sets Granville Health System as the top provider for this orthopaedic service in the Triangle area, including Oxford, Henderson, Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary and Smithfield, according to a press release from the system. This marks the second year in a row that Granville Health System (GHS) has been five-star rated for hip replacement. HealthGrades objectively grades the performance of virtually every hospital in

Pct. change from previous: +0.38%

1,400

Low 2,120.70

Nov. 30, 2009

Economic Development Commission recognizes local barberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s professionalism

7,000

Low 10,263.29

Nov. 30, 2009

1,095.63

Listed below are representative interdealer quotations at approximately 4 p.m. Monday from the National Association of Securities Dealers. Prices do not include retail mark-up, mark-down or commission.

9,000

+34.92

2,144.60

Stocks

11,000

Nov. 30, 2009

10,344.84

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Stocks zigzagged Monday but finished higher as traders ultimately were not deterred by reports that retail sales were overall uninspiring during the Thanksgiving

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Community News

The Daily Dispatch

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

VGCC board meets, accepts donations from faculty and staff The Vance-Granville Community College Board of Trustees held its regular bimonthly meeting on Nov. 16 at the college’s Henderson campus. At that meeting, Carl Hann, Jason Snelling and Linda Fletcher, cochairpersons of the annual VGCC Endowment Fund Faculty and Staff Drive, presented a check to the board for $25,142. The money was donated by VGCC faculty and staff to fund scholarships for VGCC students. Donald C. Seifert, chairman of the VGCC Board of Trustees, thanked the faculty and staff for their generosity and continuing support of the endowment program. Jo Anna Finch Jones, vice president of Institutional Advancement and director of the Endowment Program, also expressed her gratitude to the faculty and staff. In 20082009, 446 VGCC students received scholarships, totaling $220,825. Also during the meeting, Vice-President of Instruction Angela Ballen-

tine, Ph.D., reported that the early college programs are doing very well. Vance County Early College High School now has 122 students enrolled in the program. Warren Early College High School has 95 students enrolled and Granville Early College High School, which started in August, has 50 students enrolled. The schools, operated as a partnership between VGCC and the county school systems, are designed so that low-income youth, first-generation college goers, minorities, and other young people underrepresented in higher education can simultaneously earn a high school diploma and an associate’s degree or up to two years of college credit. Tuition is waived for college courses. President Randy Parker reported to the board that the state’s JobsNOW “12 in 6” training program is underway at the college. Through community colleges across North Carolina, this initiative provides training that

can be completed in six months or less in a dozen high-demand occupations. At VGCC, students can choose from three JobsNOW opportunities, all focusing on jobs in the health care field: nursing assistant (CNA), phlebotomy and medical billing and coding. Classes began on Oct. 26. JobsNOW at VGCC is supported by $250,000 in federal recovery funds, administered through the North Carolina Community College System and the North Carolina Department of Commerce. VGCC also received a $50,000 “Partnership in Progress” Golden LEAF Opportunities for Work (GLOW) grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation to support JobsNOW. The grant will help students in the JobsNOW program defray some of the costs of their tuition, fees, materials, uniforms and needed supplies. In other business, Parker presented the college’s annual report to

Christmas program needs sponsors for Dec. 18 event Henderson Middle School’s Department for Exceptional Children is sponsoring its sixth annual Christmas program and needs help from local sponsors. On Dec. 18, the school wants to provide at least one gift to 60 students with disabilities during the department’s annual program

to celebrate the holiday season with teachers, family, administrators, and community and business leaders. To help sponsor a child, please contact Angela Pugh, assistant principal, at (252)

738-3907 or (252) 4920054. Donations can also be mailed to Henderson Middle School, Department for Exceptional Children, 219 Charles St., Henderson, N.C., 27536.

The VGCC Board of Trustees received a check for $25,142 from VGCC faculty and staff at the November board meeting. The money was raised to fund scholarships for deserving students at VGCC. Pictured from left: Donald C. Seifert, chairman of the VGCC Board of Trustees; Carl Hann, Jason Snelling and Linda Fletcher, co-chairpersons of the annual VGCC Endowment Fund Faculty and Staff Drive; and Randy Parker, VGCC president. the board. Parker noted that from July 1, 2008, through June 30, 2009, the college taught 4,229 courses in 146 locations serving 19,779 students. Parker also noted the large positive economic impact that the college has on the community. With a

budget of $34,677,690.49 during the 2008-2009 period, the college employed 880 individuals, paid $18,376,542.08 in salaries, and awarded over $10 million in financial aid to a total of 4,945 students. The next regular meeting of the board will be

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CMYK 10A

Opinion

The Daily Dispatch

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Editorial Board: James Edwards, Publisher jedwards@hendersondispatch.com

Don Dulin, News Editor ddulin@hendersondispatch.com

304 S. Chestnut St./P.O. Box 908 Henderson, N.C. 27536 PHONE: 436-2700/FAX: 430-0125

Daily Meditation That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. [This is] a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. Titus 3:7-9

Our Opinion

Look beyond the cover Please don’t judge the book by its cover. Take a look inside. We were taken to task on Monday for giving our annual Christmas Songbook — inserted into Sunday’s paper — the title of “Holiday Songbook” this year. In a world where political correctness has run amok, we must confess that we didn’t set out to call this year’s collection of Christmas carols and holiday favorites by a generic title that some Christians now find offensive. Call us insensitive maybe for not thinking far enough ahead. We grew up in a world where — years ago, before some members of society launched an attack on “Merry Christmas” — you would hear interchangeably “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Holidays,” and “Season’s Greetings.” The two latter salutations were quite accepted. That was until some groups declared that “Merry Christmas” would possibly offend non-believers. And basically “Happy Holidays” has been moved to the status of taboo. Politically correct and thus an attack on the Christian faith. It’s unfortunate how these issues of political correctness work. Sometimes innocent bystanders may get run over. One of our readers graciously called our title of the songbook an “editorial mistake” — “I just was thinking that someone didn’t realize that the title of the songbook was incorrect.” Another reader shared, “Being politically correct makes me sick as a Christian. This season is about the birth of Christ, not about a holiday.... I think the Dispatch missed a grand opportunity to make a statement for Christians.” She goes on, “I still believe in wishing people a ‘Merry Christmas’ and do not believe we should take Christ out of Christmas!” From another reader: “I fully realize that Chanukah and Kwanzaa also fall during this time; however, not one song in what you referred to as a ‘Holiday Book’ was Jewish or African-American. I guess you should be reminded that your readers are primarily Southern Christians, who do not care what a small handful nonbelievers want to try and spread.... The songs in that book primarily celebrate the birth of God’s Son whose name is above all others – Jesus CHRIST.” When we say not to judge the book by its cover, we ask our readers to note the carols that are in the book — “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “The First Noel,” “Silent Night,” “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing,” among others. Do we really sound like someone trying to take Christ out of Christmas? Yes, we have “Rudolph” in the book — by special request from a staff member’s child, may we add — along with “Jingle Bells” and “Here Comes Santa Claus.” Readers, we selected “Holiday Songbook” simply because the art supplied by the graphics service appeared to be an attractive cover. No other reason. No politically correct motive. If any of our readers out there debate where this newspaper stands — and has stood for decades — regarding the question of Christ in Christmas, please take a look at this editorial page each and every day. As a matter of fact, take a glance back at the opinion page for last Saturday and Sunday. The Daily Meditations were all about keeping Christ in Christmas — from Matthew 1:18-25. However we should say it, we wish you “Season’s Greetings,” “Happy Holidays” and, above all, “Merry Christmas.” And — as always — thanks for reading and thanks for giving us your opinions.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Johnston’s 15 minutes are up (EDITOR’S NOTE: Mitch Albom is on vacation this week. In place of his column we are offering a substitution by Carl Hiaasen. If you would like a different substitution, please contact TMS customer service at 800-346-8798.)

Times are hard, but the pathway to fame in America has never been easier. No talent is required — you can go on a shooting spree, give birth to octuplets or launch a homemade balloon from your backyard and tell the cops that your little boy is trapped inside. Gripped by a stubborn recession and war anxiety, Americans remain the world’s most ravenous consumers of a celebrity journalism that features nitwits and naifs over Nobel laureates. Exhibit A is a person named Levi Johnston, who ascended to junior stardom by knocking up Sarah Palin’s oldest daughter. He’s not the first teenager who forgot to use a condom, but few others have milked their dumb mistake with such gusto. There’s Levi on CBS’s “The Early Show,” ominously suggesting he knows dark secrets about Palin. There he is being interviewed in Vanity Fair as if he were a matinee idol, and there he is again in the pages of GQ, diapering the new baby. There he is on Tyra and the Larry King show. And there he is at the Teen Choice Awards, a hope-affirming presence for all young unwed fathers.

There he is again in a national TV commercial, breaking pistachio nuts while the announcer wryly says, “Now Levi Johnston does it with protection.” And, finally, there he is in Playgirl magazine, displaying every part of his anatomy except the one that propelled him into the headlines. Carl The Hiaasen spectacle isn’t entirely Tribune Media Levi’s fault. Services He didn’t set out to be famous, but last fall he suddenly found himself in the spotlight — presented to the world as the future son-inlaw of the future vice president of the United States. He was a popular kid, but he quit high school and had family problems, including a mother battling a drug habit. The McCain-Palin campaign dressed him up and gave him a prominent place next to pregnant Bristol at the Republican National Convention. The couple would soon be married, Palin announced brightly, although Levi’s facial expression didn’t exactly radiate serenity. He and Palin’s daughter both deserve some sympathy. The out-of-wedlock pregnancy was a potential embarrassment to the campaign, which had been working to portray Palin as a conservative Christian crusading for traditional family values. Levi and Bristol were given

upright roles to play, and they hung in there until Election Day. Afterward, the wedding plans were scuttled, baby Tripp was born and Levi says the Palins began to treat him coldly. Instead of going back to Alaska and politely fading away, he hired a manager-slash-bodyguard. This, of course, is the American way. Nobody settles for just 15 minutes of fame. Obviously it was explained to Levi that his marketability would be enhanced — and fame prolonged — if he could dish some dirt about Palin. It was a brand new role, but he warmed to it. Levi now asserts that Palin isn’t the all-American mom that she makes herself out to be — for example, she doesn’t really cook much at home! At first she wanted to hide Bristol’s pregnancy, he claims, and adopt the child herself. Worse, he says, she sometimes referred to her own infant with Down’s syndrome as “the retarded baby.” That Levi was saying such things wasn’t nearly so disturbing as some of the media’s reaction, which was to treat the kid like he was Ben Bernanke expounding on long-term interest rates. Even if Levi’s stories are true, he isn’t sharing them to save the country from a Palin presidency. He’s hustling, period. The irony is pungent. He owes his own overnight fame to the overnight fame of the

woman he’s bad-mouthing. They are forever joined as family by his fathering of a Palin, and are destined to orbit the tabloid universe in tandem. Once Palin quit the governorship to give speeches and sell books, she refueled Levi’s dubious celebrity. It’s no accident that his Playgirl photo spread coincided with the rollout of her memoir. The snippy war of words benefits both of them. She sells more books, he gets more face time on television. What other kid from Wasilla ever heard himself called out on “Oprah”? Certainly the media can be blamed for overhyping Levi, but he’d evaporate like a moose burp if the public quit paying attention. We are easily and shamelessly intrigued. So, for all you Levi Johnston fans, here’s the latest: While hanging out at Hollywood’s trendy Chateau Marmont, he said he might soon be “Dancing With the Stars,” and he’s also considering — hang on to your hockey sticks — a gig on “Survivor.” The networks say it’s not true, but who are you going to believe? A book deal can’t be far off and, after that, maybe a reality show with Octomom and Balloon Boy. Rock on, Levi. Give the people what they want. (Carl Hiaasen is a columnist for the Miami Herald. Readers may write to him at: 1 Herald Plaza, Miami, Fla., 33132.)

Missing Obama’s old drama It’s beginning to look a lot like the winter of President Barack Obama’s discontent. Among other problems, his slow and steady slide in opinion polls is matching the nation’s slow and steady rise in joblessness. That makes Democrats in Congress fearful of their own potential joblessness. Among other complaints, critics have badgered him in recent weeks for “dithering” too long on Afghanistan, failing to return with big diplomatic victories from Asia and bowing too deeply before the Japanese emperor. He has simultaneously been criticized by some for paying too much attention to overhauling health care and by others for not trying to impose more of his influence on the debate in Congress. If it weren’t for bad news, to paraphrase an old blues song, it seems like Obama wouldn’t have any news at all. A recurring theme of critics goes something like this: Last year’s inspiring candidate of hope and change has lost his luster in the urgent, yet humdrum mechanics of learning how to be president. The iconic photo-op image of Obama standing alone on the Great Wall of China has bolstered a conventional wisdom of Obama as the solitary man, moving to his own timetable, increasingly removed from the public whose votes he so vigorously sought. But the rest of us move to our own timeclocks, too, especially in the news industry. While Obama looks at solving employment, health care and foreign policy woes over the course of weeks, months or years, we in the media have

deadlines every day, feeding public anxieties with new problems to worry about. As a result, the “dithering” charge raised by former Vice President Dick Cheney was picked up quickly as a talking point by other conservatives. But look who’s talking here. After the disastrous impulses of the previous administration led to an unnecessary war in Iraq, I don’t fault Obama for taking his time. A few weeks of prudent deliberation and Clarence fact-finding is a small price Page to pay when Tribune Media years of warServices fare hang in the balance. Similarly, the Obama administration admits he won’t make his yearend deadline to close the detention camp at Guantanamo. That’s better than closing it too quickly. But while we await a resolution, he rates a grade of “incomplete” at best. The same incomplete grade applies to most of his other major initiatives. It’s too early to tell what he can accomplish with China, although he did gain some important new diplomatic cooperation with the Chinese on North Korea, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Even those modest achievements were overwhelmed by the public’s perception here of Obama’s deep bow to the emperor of Japan. Yet, a poll by Fox News, which members of Obama’s media

team has denounced as an arm of the Republican Party, found two-thirds of the public it surveyed thought it was OK for the president to bow to another leader when it is the proper custom. Interestingly, Fox News posted the poll results on its Web site, but did not headline that news. I wonder how they would have treated it if it found two-thirds of the public opposed such a bow? Either way, the larger question for Obama is whether Obama can recover his slip in major polls quickly enough to help his party hold onto its majority in Congress in next year’s midterm elections. Recent history shows his stormy seas match the troubles that earlier presidents sailed in their first terms before they found friendlier waters, some sooner than others. Bill Clinton’s health care plan collapsed early in his first term. He failed even to get it out of committee. His party lost both houses of Congress in the 1994 midterms. Yet he managed to rebuild himself politically, despite a weakened presidency, in time to cruise to reelection in 1996. Ronald Reagan’s average job approval rating languished at 42 percent before his first midterm congressional election in 1982. Republicans lost 26 seats that November, but two years later, Reagan beat Walter F. Mondale in 49 states. Obama can only hope to be that lucky. First he’s got to adjust his timeclock to ours. (E-mail Clarence Page at cpage@tribune.com, or write to him c/o Tribune Media Services, 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, NY 14207.)

Letters to the Editor Newly-elected council member thanks voters To the Editor: I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all of the citizens that voted for me in this year’s election. I am very humbled by the trust put in my abilities to fulfill this position. I would like for all my supporters and others to be a part of the Swearing-In of the Council. This will take place on Dec. 14 at the City Hall Chambers at 134 Rose Ave, Henderson, at 7:00 in the evening. Please know that after I am sworn in I will still continue to do all that I can to earn the trust placed in me. I can be contacted at 154 Rose Ave, Henderson, or at (252) 430-6300. Again, thank you for your support. Sara M. Coffey Henderson

What’s your opinion? The Daily Dispatch welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be signed, include the author’s city of residence, and should be limited to 300 words. Please include a telephone number for verification. Writers should limit themselves to one letter every 30 days. Letters can be accepted by e-mail, but city of residence and a phone number for verification purposes still must be included.

CMYK

State

The Daily Dispatch

NC Good Samaritan’s family wants safety measures implemented RALEIGH (AP) — The family of a North Carolina man who fell to his death while trying to help victims of a car crash on Interstate 440 in Raleigh says more precautions on the road might have saved the man’s life. Carroll “Lee” Eames Jr., 33, of Willow Springs was killed about 7 p.m. Friday when he jumped over a barrier between the eastbound and westbound lanes to get out of the way of another vehicle. He fell 70 feet to the creek and died. A second man, who also jumped, survived the fall with cuts and bruises. “For it to end like it did, it shouldn’t have happen to anyone,” Adam Eames, Lee Eames’ uncle, told WRAL-TV. “There should be some protection. Lee should not have died.” Eames apparently didn’t realize there was a gap between the roads that opens to Crabtree Creek, police said. A similar accident in October 2005 killed Todd Fletcher, 26, prompting the state Transportation Department to place a fence on the inside part of the Inner Beltline. However, fencing was not

NC Briefs spokesman for Asheville Rising Tide, which staged the protest. Two more were able to lock their arms and sleeves through parts of the machine and stayed on top of it for more than an hour before deputies cut them away.

Coal protesters tie themselves to NC generator in SC

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Protesters against coal power added to the inside part of attached themselves Monday to a nearly 1 million pound the Outer Beltline, where generator part bound for Eames fell. Hurricane season North Carolina for more than Carroll Eames Sr. said ends with a whimper an hour before deputies were Sunday that his son used able to remove them. to work as a tow truck SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Duke Energy said the driver and often helped The Atlantic hurricane season protest in a South Carolina people at accident scenes. parking lot shouldn’t slow the ended Monday with barely A barrier on the inside a whimper: Not a single three-month trip to move the part of the Outer Beltline hurricane came ashore in the equipment, called a stator, would have prevented his United States. from a port in the southern son’s death, he said. Since June, when the seapart of the state to a power “That hole should have son began, just nine named generating plant under conbeen protected some way storms developed. Only three struction near Cliffside, N.C. or somehow,” he said. of them became hurricanes, The part had been parked Marie Tanner, Lee and those stayed out at sea in a lot near Greenville for Eames’ sister, said her or weakened before passing about a week when four brother was always helpover land. Two tropical storms protesters scaled a fence ing others in need. around 8:45 a.m. Monday and made landfall in the U.S., “If he saw someone causing little more than rain climbed to the top of the mashungry, he would try to and some beach erosion. sive piece of equipment and help feed them. If he saw “We had a great, great refused to get down, Greensomeone cold, he would year,” said Chris Vecsey, a ville County Master Deputy salesman at Top Gun Tackle give them the shirt off his Melissia McKinney said. in Orange Beach, Ala., near The protesters unfurled a back,” she said. where Tropical Storm Ida Other survivors include banner that said “Stop Cliffslogged ashore in November. a daughter and stepdaugh- side” before two of them were “Last year we had Gustav arrested, said Attila Nemecz, ter. DOT spokesman Steve Abbott said Saturday that it’s the state’s policy to review fatal wreck sites to determine if road changes or upgrades are needed. Newly Remodeled Building DOT must wait for Raleigh Under New Management police to finish their invesNow Enrolling Ages 6 Weeks - 12 Years Old tigation before reviewing Friday’s accident, he said. 1513 US 1 Hwy • Youngsville, NC 27596

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and Ike and a couple of other storms that didn’t even hit here. And with all the hype, it ruined us. It just didn’t happen this year.” Before the 2009 season began June 1, the National Hurricane Center had anticipated nine to 14 storms, with four to seven hurricanes.

Charlotte motel offers rooms to NC homeless CHARLOTTE (AP) — The owners of a North Carolina motel are offering one-tenth of their rooms for the homeless, beginning Tuesday. The Charlotte Observer reported that Imtiaz Shareef and his brother are offering 16 of their rooms in the Days Inn extended-stay suites on Sugar Creek Road in Charlotte to the homeless. Churches or their members would pay for a night’s stay for some. It’s part of the new Room in the Inn program, which the brothers hope will bring attention to the growing homeless population near the motel. Shareef also hopes the program will motivate churches

and their members to use his motel for other lodging needs.

NC building routes for animals to cross roads WILMINGTON (AP) — North Carolina transportation officials hope the addition of crossings under a new interstate highway will cut down on wrecks and protect animals. The transportation department plans to add crossings under a new stretch of Interstate 140, which crosses largely undeveloped land around Leland. The plan calls for two underpasses just for wildlife and a smaller wildlife tunnel. They also will lengthen four bridges on the four-lane highway. Parts of the estimated $400 million road will be lined with 10-foot-tall fences to funnel animals toward the crossings. Officials are most worried about black bears. But they say similar crossings on a new road between the Raleigh area and the Outer Banks has reduced the number of deervehicle wrecks.

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12A

The Daily Dispatch

US Briefs NBC: White House dinner couple to appear on ’Today’ NEW YORK (AP) — NBC says the couple that crashed a White House state dinner will appear on the “Today” show. The network says Michaele and Tareq Salahi will be interviewed Tuesday by “Today” host Matt Lauer. The interview is scheduled to air in the 7 a.m. half-hour segment. Earlier Monday, the publicist for the couple had denied they are “shopping” any interviews or demanding money from television networks to tell their story. In an e-mailed statement, publicist Mahogany Jones called the allegations false and demanded that “this adverse, inaccurate information cease immediately.” An appearance previously scheduled for Monday night on CNN’s “Larry King Live” was been canceled. A TV executive who spoke on condition of anonymity to publicly discuss bookings had told The Associated Press that the couple’s representatives had urged networks to “get their bids in” for an interview.

Black-white turnout key in Atlanta mayoral runoff ATLANTA (AP) — Just a few weeks ago, some suggested Atlanta was about to name its first white mayor in a generation. Instead, the Nov. 3 election set up a hard-fought runoff battle that’s expected to break down largely along racial lines when voters return to the polls Tuesday. Mary Norwood, the white candidate, and former state Sen. Kasim Reed, an African-American, are vying for a critical mass of racial crossover votes, with victory likely hinging on black-

versus-white turnout. “What it comes down to is if she gets more black votes than he gets white votes,” said political strategist Tom Houck. “When people say race doesn’t matter, obviously it does. There is no dominant issue that distinguishes these two other than she’s a white woman and he’s a black guy.”

Nation / World

Afghan officials fear talk of exit strategy By DEB RIECHMANN Associated Press Writer

KABUL — Afghan officials hope President Barack Obama’s address on Afghanistan won’t be weighted too heavily on an exit strategy — even though that’s the message many Americans and Democrats in Congress want to hear. AP source: GE, If he talks extensively Vivendi in tentative in his speech tonight about winding down the war, deal for NBC Afghans fear the Taliban will simply bide their time PHILADELPHIA (AP) — General Electric Co. has until the Americans abandon the country much as reached an agreement to Washington did after the buy the 20 percent stake Soviets left 20 years ago. in NBC Universal held by French media conglomerThat move plunged the ate Vivendi SA, The Associ- nation into civil war and ated Press has learned. paved the way for al-Qaida That would pave the way and the Sept. 11 attacks. for GE to sell a 51 percent stake in the TV and movie company to Comcast Corp., the largest U.S. cable TV By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR provider. That deal, which Associated Press Writer would make Philadelphiabased Comcast one of the WASHINGTON — The nation’s largest entertainment companies, is valued Senate opened debate Monday on landmark health at about $30 billion. care legislation that would An understanding between GE and Vivendi has extend coverage to millions of uninsured and ban been reached but has yet to be formalized, according onerous insurance practices, to a person with knowledge with Democrats vowing to of the talks who requested work weekends to deliver on anonymity because the ne- President Barack Obama’s gotiations were private. An domestic initiative by year’s end. agreement was supposed “There’s not an issue more to have been announced important than finishing weeks ago, but GE’s talks this legislation,” Majority with Vivendi have been Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., taking longer than extold his colleagues in putting pected. them on notice for Saturday Vivendi knew it had a and Sunday sessions in strong hand — GE wants December. to sell part of NBC Universal to raise money after suffering losses in its GE Capital unit. Meanwhile, Comcast wants to beef up its programming assets with a marquee name at a price it could handle — around $5 to $7 billion cash plus contribution of its cable networks to a joint venture that would house the new NBC Universal.

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Similarly, in neighboring Pakistan, too much talk of a finite U.S. troop presence gives commanders little reason to help fight Afghan militants — the very people they might eventually need to embrace as allies if the international community fails to secure Afghanistan and the Taliban retake Kabul. From the Pakistani side of the volatile border, the fear is that a premature U.S. pullout would leave Pakistan vulnerable to an unchecked threat from Islamic extremists, who now control significant areas of the northwest. “If the Americans leave the war unfinished — without stabilizing Afghanistan — it is bad for Pakistan,” Mahmood Shah, a former

security chief for Pakistan’s tribal areas, said Monday. “Obama should announce a change of strategy that moves away from force to stabilization ... so that people will stop going to the Taliban in search of security.” So while Obama needs to reassure the American public that Afghanistan will not become his Vietnam, that message might be best muffled in the battle zones. “Mentioning an exit strategy at the height of fighting is premature,” said Hamid Gailani, majority leader in the Afghan parliament. Gailani hopes Obama’s expected military buildup will be accompanied by a political plan that fosters economic develop-

ment for his impoverished nation. “If he speaks of a surge on the one hand and of an exit strategy on the other hand, it will not make any sense to people,” Gailani said. However, there is a case to be made for Obama to emphasize that U.S. forces aren’t going to be in Afghanistan forever. That message could serve to undercut the argument of hardcore militants who lash out against foreign occupiers — and use it as a recruitment tool. It also could perhaps strengthen Afghan efforts toward reconciliation with some members of the Taliban, who say they won’t negotiate until foreign forces leave.

Debate opens on health bill; Democrats divided Reid said exorbitant health care costs have forced thousands of Americans into bankruptcy, creating an economic crisis that Congress must address. However, Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said the $979 billion, 10-year Senate bill is too expensive for a nation struggling financially. “The notion that we would even consider spending trillions of dollars we don’t have in a way that the majority of Americans don’t even want is proof that this health care bill is out of touch,” McConnell said. Coinciding with the start of debate, congressional budget experts said the bill

Revlon

Democrats face near unanimous Republican opposition to the health care measure — and deep divisions within their own ranks. While majority Democrats will need 60 votes to finish, some in the party say they’ll jump ship from the bill without tighter restrictions on abortion coverage. Others say they’ll go unless a government plan to compete with private insurance companies gets tossed. Such concessions would enrage liberals, the party’s heart and soul. There’s no clear course for Reid to steer legislation through Congress to the president’s desk.

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Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauwill fill line Phillips. Write Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

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out of the cans. That little baggie, if deposited in my trash can, would either be knocked out on the ground or fall to the bottom of my trash can. Neither is acceptable. On the other hand, some of my neighbors use a trash service that utilizes a truck with a mechanical arm that turns the cans upside down and empties them into the truck. In a case like that, I don’t see what difference it makes whose can it’s “deposited” in. — CONNIE IN PARIS, TENN. DEAR ABBY: I walk my dogs through the neighborhood and, as a responsible pet owner, I clean up after them. Often, however, I wonder why I bother. Many dogs here run loose and leave their messes wherever they please with no one to clean up after them. I think that neighbors should thank pet owners who do clean up — no matter where they deposit the doo-doo. — DOG WALKER IN LAYTON, UTAH DEAR ABBY: When we walk our dog, we always carry a bag. I have seen others “scoop” up after their dog and then toss it under the bushes. Carry it home, folks! Or, as the gentleman did, place it in a trash container. If it’s on the curb, it’s public property. — SCOOPER IN FLORIDA DEAR ABBY: We walk our dogs four times a day and place their carefully bagged “deposits” only in the trash at our house. We do this for two reasons: One, people can be territorial about their refuse containers and resent any “unauthorized” garbage placed there. Two, many homeowners hate finding animal waste on their property or in their trash. Abby, please rethink your reply to “Pooped Out.” He sounds lazy. His wife, family and co-workers, on the other hand, appear to be responsible and considerate. — PICKERUPPER IN CALIFORNIA

MOVIES

DEAR ABBY: You advised “Pooped Out in North Carolina” (Sept. 21) that as long as dog doo-doo is securely sealed in a bag, you saw no harm in putting it in a stranger’s garbage can. While I agree in principle, as a homeowner who is a frequent recipient of foreign feces, there is a practical issue that you may not have foreseen. Our garbage collectors will not dispose of Dear small bags Abby of dog poop; they will Universal Press only take Syndicate trash bags of the larger size one would expect to contain household waste. The result is that after our trash is taken, we’re left with several bags of strangers’ dog waste in the bottom of the can. My wife and I have to pull these bags out and add them to larger bags of garbage. Otherwise, they’ll remain at the bottom of the can indefinitely. So while putting one’s dog droppings in a stranger’s trash may appear to be harmless, it may also have consequences you didn’t consider. I would suggest that pet owners err on the side of taking it home with them. And if you don’t want to carry it for 15 minutes, don’t walk your dog 15 minutes from your house. — FREQUENT FECES FINDER DEAR F.F.F.: I’m sorry to say my advice to “Pooped” landed ME in the doghouse. Read on: DEAR ABBY: You should have told “Pooped” to check the local laws first. In my community, if you’re caught putting your trash in someone else’s container, you are made to clean it out, fined and sometimes given jail time. I’m sure “Pooped” would not appreciate being sent to jail on account of his dog’s delivery. — TOM IN REED CITY, MICH. DEAR ABBY: A lot client depends on how the trash is collected. My trash collector and the nearby city collectors just come and pull the bags

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Ten years ago: An international team of scientists announced it had mapped virtually an entire human chromosome. On World AIDS Day, United Na-

Today’s Birthdays: Actor Paul Picerni is 87. Singer Billy Paul is 75. Actor-director Woody Allen is 74. Golfer Lee Trevino is 70. Singer Dianne Lennon (The Lennon Sisters) is 70. Rock singer-musician Eric Bloom (Blue Oyster Cult) is 65. Rock musician John Densmore (The Doors) is 65. Actresssinger Bette Midler is 64. Singer Gilbert O’Sullivan is 63. Actress-model Carol Alt is 49. Actor Jeremy Northam is 48. Producer-director Andrew Adamson is 43. Actor Nestor Carbonell is 42. Actresscomedian Sarah Silverman is 39. Singer Sarah Masen is 34. Rock musician Mika Fineo (Filter) is 28. Actress Ashley Monique Clark is 21. Thought for Today: “An educated man should know everything about something, and something about everything.” — Dame C.V. Wedgwood, English historian (1910-1997).

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