The Daily Dispatch - Wednesday, December 8, 2009 by The Daily Dispatch

CMYK Permit for homeless shelter for men OK’d From Page One, Page 3A

U.S. tops world in health care spending Business & Farm, Page 5A

Assessing pre-blame for climate-change summit Opinion, Page 6A Northern’s Nalinda Woods shoots over Warren’s Jessica Davis in second half of Vikings 62-47 win.

Northern Vance boys beat Warren County Sports, Page 1B

Sports, 1B

Good Taste, Page 1C WEDNESDAY, December 9, 2009

Volume XCV, No. 288

(252) 436-2700

www.hendersondispatch.com

Owner of ‘nuisance’ property rebuffed

School’s name list narrowed Panel chooses Clark-Carmel for new elementary By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer

The naming committee for Vance’s newest elementary school agreed Tuesday night on “Clark-Carmel” as its first choice, and “C.H. Brown” as its second. The seven members of the panel are expected to present their preferences next Monday night to the School Board, which will have the final sayso, and can choose any name it wants. The committee deliberated less than 25 minutes Tuesday night before deciding on their first pick. It reflects the site of the soon-to-be-closed Clark Street Elementary School, and carries the identity of Mount Carmel Church Road, which will be the entrance to the new facility. Two adjacent roads — Garrett on the north and Rock Mill on the east — didn’t make the cut. A number of students Please see SCHOOL, page 4A

Index Our Hometown . . . . . 2A Business & Farm. . . . 5A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . 6A Light Side . . . . . . . . . 7A Sports. . . . . . . . . . 1-3B Comics . . . . . . . . . . . 2C Classifieds. . . . . . . 3-5C

Weather Today T-storms likely High: 66 Low: 38

Thursday Sunny, cooler

City has option to demolish Beacon Light Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE

Kinrecka Anderson uses a pipet to practice placing her DNA sample into a petri dish filled with gel as her lab partner, Sashikeka Hendricks, looks on during their “Get A Clue” science experiment Tuesday afternoon on the UNCChapel Hill’s science bus at Southern Vance High School.

In UNC’s rolling science lab, students help solve mystery By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer

More than 40 Southern Vance High School students helped solve a make-believe murder mystery Tuesday during a visit by a rolling science lab. Their teacher, Wendi Leas, let her honors and introductory biology classes take turns using some of the sophisticated testing equipment inside Discovery, one of two $300,000 buses operated by the University of North Carolina. They also got a running lecture from Polly Dornette, a science education specialist who made them don gloves to protect the expensive devices and goggles to shield their eyes. “We have a rule that everybody who can see when they get on the bus must be able to see when they get off the bus.” In addition, Dornette taught them to “cough like a scientist” into their elbow, not on their

Details, 3A

Deaths Conyers, Ga. Artis Hargrove, 70 Henderson William E. Livengood, 66 Oxford Johnnie Crews, 90 Gladys W. Crowder, 67 Doris L. McCray, 71

Obituaries, 4A

gloves, to ensure the continued health of the gadgets at 11 learning stations. She quizzed the students on related facts Leas had taught them during pre-lab activities. After the 90-minute session was over, they would focus back in class on what they had seen, heard and done. Inside Discovery — which is 40 feet long, weighs 36,000 pounds and gets about seven miles per gallon of diesel fuel — the students performed DNA restriction analysis, which is also known as DNA fingerprinting. To find out which of two suspects was the murderer, they used the process to analyze drops of fake blood and other evidence found at the crime scene. The students weren’t told that the DNA belonged to bacteria, not to animals. Both Discovery and the other bus, Destiny, make up the outreach program operated by UNC’s Morehead Planetarium and Sci-

ence Center. Principal funding comes from the State of North Carolina, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and GlaxoSmithKline. Eric Brown, who is retiring this month after driving and maintaining Discovery for a decade, estimated that each of the buses travels as much as 25,000 miles a year. The two vehicles go to a total of about 180 high and middle schools across the state to hold classes three days a week during a 30-week period. Brown said he has been parking Discovery at Southern Vance for six years, and at Northern Vance for eight or nine. On Thursday, Justyn Phelps’ honors biology students will climb aboard the bus at NVHS to try to solve the same murder mystery. Contact the writer at awheless@hendersondispatch.com.

By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer

The Zoning Board of Adjustment on Tuesday turned back a request by the owner of the dilapidated former Beacon Light apartment complex for a special use permit for a unified residential development and for a variance to modify setback requirements to the property. Board member Ruxton Bobbitt led the votes in the city matter. And Bobbitt said, “Overall, the property has been a nuisance for the city, not only over the last three years, but over the life of the project.” There was no dissenting vote and property owner Ahmad Halim was not present. “The buildings have been sitting empty for a reason,” Bobbitt said. “No one testified as to why, but the owner has a reason that he hasn’t done anything with this property during the time that he has owned it.” Bobbitt was referring to the board’s Nov. 3 hearing. Moments before Tuesday’s board votes, City Planning Director Erris Dunston noted 21 concerns having been expressed by the Technical Review Committee, which is comprised of key city leaders, in the permitting and zoning process. Dunston noted Halim having submitted a Please see BEACON, page 3A

Plan: Bank loans for hospital upgrade Granville sets public hearing on county borrowing $13.5 million By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer

High: 49 Low: 25

50 cents

OXFORD — The Granville County Commission approved setting a public hearing at the 7 p.m. Jan. 4 commission meeting on a proposed contract for financing a substantial upgrade of the Granville Health System hospital in Oxford. The plan calls for the county to obtain approximately $13.5 million in bank loans to help finance the project, which includes expanding the emergency department, constructing a new surgical suite and constructing a new central energy plant building, County Finance Director Michael Felts told the newspaper. Felts told the newspaper the health system will come up with

the rest of the funding for the project, which is expected to cost at least $20 million. The N.C. Division of Health Service Regulation already approved a certificate of need for the county-owned hospital, which is located at 1016 College St./U.S. 15. And the county will need approval from the Local Government Commission, which is staffed by the state treasurer’s office and has helped cities with their finances since the Great Depression. The financing for the hospital was one of a list of items the commissioners dealt with in an approximately hour-long meeting on Monday. The commissioners quickly approved accepting a $400,000 Community Development Block Grant for the scattered site hous-

ing program to address the most critical housing needs of lowincome families. The N.C. Department of Commerce already approved the county’s application. The Henderson-based Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments helped the county apply for the $400,000, with $360,000 to be used for rehabilitation, acquisition or demolition of houses and relocations. The remaining $40,000 will be marked for urgent repairs, with a maximum of $5,000 allowed for each site. The commissioners additionally approved taking steps toward the possible issuance of economic recovery zone bonds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which is the Please see GRANVILLE, page 4A

Wanted The Granville County Sheriff’s Office needs help identifying suspects involved in recent crimes. Surveillance photos show two suspects entering the Providence Fire Department off Watkins Road and one suspect at the Missing Link grocery at U.S. 15 and Smith Road. Anyone with any information is urged to phone the Sheriff’s Office at (919) 693-3213 or Crime Stoppers at (919) 693-3100.

The Daily Dispatch

Mark It Down

Our Hometown

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas ....

Today

Prize winners in this year’s Henderson Christmas Parade held this past weekend included (at left) the firstplace float winner, created by members of the Vance County 4-H Livestock Club. Other winning floats were created by Victory Christian School (second place) and New Hope Baptist Church in Kittrell (third place). Marching band winners were Northern Vance High School (first place), Southern Vance High School (second place) and the X-Generation Drum Corps (third place).

“Green” economy seminar — A free seminar on new job and business opportunities developing around the “green” economy in rural North Carolina will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Ambassador’s Inn and Suites in Henderson. Sponsored by the Center for Green Research and Evaluation at Elizabeth City State University. To register, go to www.thesynergygroupnc.com or call Monique Edwards at (919) 413-1990.

Today Chamber Christmas social — The second annual Chamber Christmas Social sponsored by the HendersonVance County Chamber of Commerce will be held from 6-8 p.m. at The Silo. For more information, call the chamber at (252) 438-8414 or e-mail RSVP@hendersonvance.org. Parks and Rec — The Henderson-Vance Parks and Recreation meeting will be held at noon at the Aycock Recreation Center, 307 Carey Chapel Road. Water district meeting — A Vance County Water District sign-up meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Cokesbury Volunteer Fire Department, 15116 South Cokesbury Road, in the multipurpose room. 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 answer technical questions. Lion’s Club meeting — There will be a Lion’s Club meeting at 6 p.m. at the Henderson Country Club. This will be the club’s annual Christmas party. Anyone who is interested in becoming a member of the Henderson Lions Club, please contact Randy Oxendine at oxendine@nc.rr.com. Retired school personnel — The Vance County unit of the N.C. Retired School Personnel will meet at 11 a.m. at the Western Sizzlin, 619 Ruin Creek Road, Henderson. Jasman Hightower, athletic director for Vance-Granville Community College will be the guest speaker. All members are asked to bring canned and non-perishable food items to be donated to the Salvation Army. Any member who needs transportation can call Louise Kelley at (252) 438-8071 or W. T. Ramey III at (252) 492-3096. Community watch — The Highland Greens Apartments Community Watch will meet at the Community Building, 111 Pinkston St., at 6 p.m. Chess Club — The Henderson/Vance Chess Club, affiliated with the U. S. Chess Federation, meets at the First United Methodist Church from 6 to 9:30 p.m. All are welcome, adults and youths, novice or experienced. For more information, call Rudy Abate at 438-4459 (days) or 738-0375 (evenings).

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.

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Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE

Lake Gaston groups sponsor toy drive The Lake Gaston Chamber and the Lake Gaston Association have joined together this year to help the John 3:16 Center provide Christmas toys for area underprivileged children who might otherwise not enjoy a visit from Santa. Last year, the center, with help from the Lake Gaston community, provided Christmas for over 100 children, and this year the need is expected to grow significantly. The members of both organizations are encouraged to support this worthwhile effort by dropping one new unwrapped toy at one of the following locations by Friday: The Lake Gaston Chamber office; the

Lake Gaston Gazette, 378 Lizard Creek Road; Citizen’s Community Bank, Hwy. 626, Gasburg, Va.; and RCS Construction, 6355 Hwy. 903, Bracey, Va. John 3:16 will be serving 125 children. They ask that all gifts, costing $15 or less, come to them unwrapped so that they can determine the child for whom it would be most appropriate. They accept only new toys, and they do not distribute any toy weapons of any kind. Gender-neutral gifts are always good: puzzles (under 500 pieces), books, board games, coloring books, baby toys, etc. Children and youth are registered from three months to

17 years old. Every child gets a book. Balls, dolls (ethnically diverse), art supplies, craft/model kits, small handheld electronic games, toy cars and trucks, watches or inexpensive jewelry for older children. are typical of the types of gifts given in the past. The Lake Gaston Cham-

TREATING CENTRAL RETINAL VEIN OCCLUSION

In Service Benjamin S. Ryan Army National Guard Pfc. Benjamin S. Ryan has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C. He is the son of

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is currently accepting applications for children 0-5 years old. We are a three star center. We offer breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack. Hours of operation are 6:30 am to 5:30 pm Mon.-Fri. For more information call Vivian or Jenny Robertson at 438-8138. *After School Care Available* *Accepts SS Vouchers*

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Retinal vein occlusion (RVO), blockage of the portion of the circulatory system that drains blood from the retina, is a common vascular retinal disorder and one of the most common causes of blindness. After the arteries deliver blood to the retina, red blood cells and plasma run through the capillaries before they reach the central retinal vein. While blockage of any vein leads to back-up pressure in the capillaries, resulting in hemorrhaging, occlusion of the central retinal vein leads to hemorrhaging and fluid leakage over the entire retina. Laser therapy helps relieve blockages in smaller branches of the vein, but recent research shows that a steroid injection may improve vision in patients with a central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). Have an eye exam to detect signs of an eye occlusion. Your comprehensive eye examination at FOUR COUNTY EYE ASSOCIATES incorporates the latest advances in research and technology. Your eyes are special and deserve the best of care. It is our desire to assist you in maintaining the precious gift of vision. Call us at 492-8021 to schedule an appointment. At our office, located at 451 Ruin Creek Road, Henderson Professional Plaza, Suite 204, we provide care for a diversity of conditions and needs. P.S. Most retinal vein occlusions occur in patients over age 50, with the highest occurrence rate among those in their 70s and 80s.

THE HAIR SHACK (252) 433-4942

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Late Appointments Accepted • Walk-Ins Welcomed

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From Page One

The Daily Dispatch

FIVE-DAY FORECAST FOR HENDERSON TODAY

TONIGHT

THURSDAY

Permit for homeless shelter for men OK’d By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer

T-storms Likely

Clear

Sunny

66º

38º

49º 25º

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Mostly Sunny

Mostly Cloudy

Partly Cloudy

44º 25º

41º 34º

49º 28º

Almanac

Sun and Moon

Temperature

Sunrise today . . . . . .7:13 Sunset tonight . . . . .4:59 Moonrise today . . .12:18 Moonset today . . . .12:31 Sunrise tomorrow . .7:14 Sunset tomorrow . . .4:59 Moonrise tomorrow .1:24 Moonset tomorrow . .1:00

Raleigh -Durham through 6 p.m. yest. High . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Normal High . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Normal Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Record High . . . . . . . . .78 in 1998 Record Low . . . . . . . . .13 in 1977

a.m. p.m. a.m. p.m. a.m. p.m. a.m. p.m.

Moon Phases

Precipitation Yesterday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0.00" Month to date . . . . . . . . . . . .2.71" Normal month to date . . . . .0.74" Year to date . . . . . . . . . . . . .37.05" Normal year to date . . . . . .40.75"

New 12/16

Full 12/31

First 12/24

Last 1/7

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 240 219.2 -0.7 Neuse Falls 264 255.0 -0.2

24-Hr. Capacity Yest. Change 203 200.0 -0.7 320 303.5 +0.1

Regional Weather Henderson 66/38

Winston-Salem Durham 67/38 63/35 Asheville 59/29

Rocky Mt. 71/42

Greensboro 63/35 Raleigh 68/40 Charlotte 67/37

Fayetteville 72/45

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

Cape Hatteras 69/51

Wilmington 73/52

Regional Cities Today

Today

Thu.

Hi/Lo Wx Hi/Lo Wx

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

59/29 55/30 64/37 67/38 58/29 63/36 67/38 72/45 55/25 72/45 73/45 63/35 72/48 73/49 59/29

64/35 73/48 72/47 72/45 73/51 70/51 66/49 73/49 68/40 62/38 68/40 71/42 69/40 73/52 63/35

sh ra sh t mc ra t t sh t t sh t t sh

44/22 33/20 48/24 49/26 44/24 50/23 49/28 52/27 35/15 54/28 54/30 48/27 57/32 58/34 47/22

s mc s s s s s s s s s s s s s

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

sh t t t t t t t t ra t t t t sh

48/25 58/34 58/33 57/30 60/35 58/37 57/38 58/35 50/29 49/24 50/26 52/25 52/27 59/33 47/25

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

Weather (Wx): cl/cloudy; pc/partly cloudy; ra/rain; rs/rain & snow; s/sunny; sh/showers; sn/snow; t/thunderstorms; w/windy

two-page report from Cato Engineering of Raleigh, with a one-page invoice for services and travel. Bobbitt, seeking clarity, asked Dunston whether she had received answers to the 21 concerns. Dunston cited the engineering report as Halim’s response, which prompted some laughs from board members. Bobbitt, in leading the votes, cited photographic evidence and said portions of the buildings are not repairable. And Bobbitt said the buildings are beyond recognition to be converted into single-family residences and adversely affect adjoining structures due to fires at the former complex. And Bobbitt cited testimony from the Nov. 3 hearing about damage to an adjoining property as a result of a fire at the former complex and about the backing up of sewage onto an adjoining property from the former complex.

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And Bobbitt went on the say relief from the setback requirements would impair the use of adjacent properties, again citing the damage caused by fires and citing the backing up of sewage. Adjoining resident Jacqueline Wright, who testified at the Nov. 3 hearing about fires and sewage and who watched the votes Tuesday, told the newspaper afterward that, “I’m delighted.” City Code Compliance Director Corey Williams, who watched the vote, told the newspaper afterward that, “The option to demolish is definitely on the table.” If the situation goes toward pushing for the demolition, then the city will have to find the funding, Williams said. A majority of the City Council on Oct. 26 ordered Williams to do what is necessary to bring the property into compliance with municipal regulations, with an option being demolition.

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Est. Aug. 12, 1914 304 S. Chestnut St. P.O. Box 908 Henderson, N.C. 27536

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requirements being different today compared to the 1970s. Setbacks provide a certain measure of privacy between neighbors and provide space for air circulation and light. Griffin said if the burned units at the former Beacon Light particularly had to be demolished or there was a certain percentage of damage requiring demolition, then there was the question of whether they would be allowed back on the same footprint or they would have to meet new setback requirements. The Board of Adjustment postponed taking action after the Nov. 3 hearing, in part because Board Chairwoman Arline Richardson did not want to do anything without the advice of City Attorney John Zollicoffer, who had to leave the hearing for another matter.

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This map shows high temperatures, type of precipitation expected and location of frontal systems at noon.

That is because Halim submitted an incomplete plan, failed to comply with council requests for more specifics and failed to provide financial assurances to the council that he can renovate the property. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-sponsored low-income site, which is located at 318 Boddie St. and which dates back to 1973, was closed in 2006 at the request of the previous council. The then-complex had become notorious for crime and unsanitary conditions. And the previous council wanted Beacon Light redeveloped with singlefamily homes. Halim, who acquired the property at a 2007 foreclosure sale, told the Board of Adjustment Nov. 3 he is ready to proceed with rehabilitating the location. City Manager Ray Griffin told the City Council on Oct. 12 that a major problem is the setback

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organizers and supporters speaking. No one spoke in opposition. Board member Richard Brand abstained from voting, citing conflict of interest as the reason. The vote, which was a city matter, was followed by applause from the audience. The Dispatch will follow later with a story detailing the testimony in favor of the shelter and the questions asked by the Board of Adjustment members.

BEACON, from page one

Today’s National Map 110s 100s 90s 80s 70s 60s 50s 40s 30s 20s 10s 0s

district by a special use permit. The City Council on Oct. 12 approved the Planning Board’s recommendation. Shelter organizers said that the plan is to be open for the cold weather months, that no more than 20 homeless men will be taken in a night, that the shelter doors will close at 7 p.m. after intake and that those who stay in the shelter will have to be gone by 6:30 a.m. the next day. The vote came after an approximately 35-minute public hearing with shelter

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Hi/Lo Wx Hi/Lo Wx City

The Zoning Board of Adjustment on Tuesday approved a special use permit for a voluntarily-run homeless shelter for men at First Presbyterian Church at 222 Young St. Board member Ruxton Bobbitt led by the vote, saying the shelter organizers have put together a set of rules, guidelines and time frames and citing the community having come together showing this is something of need. And

Bobbitt noted testimony about there being no such shelter in the immediate area. The Planning Board at a Sept. 21 special meeting recommended changing wording in the zoning regulations to allow homeless shelters in Office-Institutional districts by a special use permit to be approved by the Board of Adjustment. First Presbyterian is in an OI district. Homeless shelters have only been allowed in a Highway Commercial “A” district or an Office-Institutional “A”

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City

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Mon.-Fri. 10-6 saturday 10-4

430-7020

Local News

The Daily Dispatch

Deaths Johnnie Crews OXFORD — Johnnie Crews, 90, died Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009, at Oxford Manor Nursing Center. He was a member of Belton Creek Baptist Church and was on the trustee board for many years. Survivors include many cousins and friends. Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. today at Belton Creek Baptist Church by the Rev. Anthony E. Cozart Sr. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Arrangements are by Betts and Son Funeral Home.

Gladys W. Crowder OXFORD — Gladys W. “Weary” Crowder, 67, of 4540 Culbreth Road, died Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009, at her home. A native of Granville County, she was the daughter of the late Coley G. and Mattie Cash Weary. She was a member of Grace Baptist Church and was a homemaker. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Eakes Funeral Chapel in Oxford by the Rev. Dr. Cecil Newton. Burial will be in Meadowview Memorial Park. Surviving are her husband, W. Lynwood Crowder of the home; daughters, Michelle Henley of Oxford and Cynthia Adcock of Stem; a sister, Alease Ross of Oxford; six grandchildren; and a great-grandson. The visitation will be today from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Eakes Funeral Home in Oxford and at other times at the home. Arrangements are by Eakes Funeral Home of Oxford.

Artis Hargrove CONYERS, Ga. — Artis Hargrove, 70, died Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009, at Rockdale Hospital in Conyers, Ga. He was born June 20, 1939, in Warren County and was the son of the late Edwin and Helen Paschall Hargrove. He grew up in Warren County on his family’s farm, attended Warren County public schools, and graduated from Warren County Training School in Wise in 1957. Upon graduation, he relocated

to Camden, N.J., for a short stay before making his home in Hollis, N.Y. He was employed at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals for more than 30 years. After retiring, he and his wife, Ruth, moved to Conyers, Ga., where they lived until his death. Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Thursday at Bethlehem Christian Church in Manson. The Rev. Charlie Leath, pastor of Burchette Chapel United Church of Christ, will officiate. The Rev. Kathard Marks, pastor of Bethlehem Christian Church, will deliver the eulogy. Interment will follow in the Burchette Chapel United Church of Christ Cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Ruth; a daughter, Bridget Carroll; two sons, Dexter of Hollis, N.Y., and Marcus of Delaware; two sisters, Eunice Hargrove of Camden, N.J., and Joyce of Macon; and four brothers, his twin brother Odis, and Leon, both of Macon, Edwin of Norlina and Earl of Elmhurst, N.Y. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Jannie. The body may be viewed today from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. and the family will be available to meet relatives and friends at the funeral home chapel from 6 to 7 p.m. Arrangements are by R.H. Greene Funeral Home of Warrenton.

William E. Livengood HENDERSON — William Eugene Livengood, 66, a resident of 1246 Debnam Ave., died Monday, Dec. 7, 2009, at his home. Born in Davie County, on Aug. 29, 1943, he was the son of the late Rad Odell Livengood and Martha Leonard Livengood. He was a retired supervisor with Burlington Mills in Oxford. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Sunset Gardens by the Rev. William Wagner. He is survived by two sons, Ronald Eugene Livengood and Rodney Dean Livengood, both of Henderson; a daughter, Sherry L. Rainey of Henderson; five sisters, Becky L. Lookabill, Rita L. Janes, Doris L. Wood, Judy L. Queen and Patsy L. Myers, all of Lexington, and Kathy L. Leonard of South Mont; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death

by a son, Donald Wayne Livengood. The family will receive friends at his home at 1246 Debnam Ave. Arrangements are by J.M. White Funeral Home.

Doris L. McCray OXFORD — Doris Lyon McCray, 71, of 5659 Days Mill Road, died Monday, Dec. 7, 2009, at her home. She was the daughter of the late Ernest and Novella Lyon. She was a member of Holy Temple C.O.G.I.C., where she served as a Sunday school teacher, YPWW teacher, and sang in the choir. In 1968, she received her license as a missionary. Survivors include a son, Marvin Lee McCray of Virgilina, Va.; two brothers, John Lyon Sr. of Oxford and Henry Lyon of Pottstown, Pa.; 11 sisters, Sadie Lyon, Lonie Allen, Emma Lyon and Shirley Ball, all of Oxford, Mae Brooks, Victoria Williams and Josephine Green, all of Roxboro, Francis Satterwhite of Timberlake, Catherine Sconiers of Hillside, N.J., and Ernestine Sconiers and Christine Smith, both of Jersey City, N.J.; five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday at Holy Temple C.O.G.I.C. by Superintendent John H. Lyon Sr. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive visitors from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday at Betts and Son Funeral Home in Oxford. Arrangements are by Betts and Son Funeral Home of Oxford.

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GRANVILLE, from page one Obama administration’s attempt to kick start the weak national economy with massive government spending. The act created new types of borrowing funds in which local governments could receive a 45 percent interest payment subsidy for projects promoting economic development or economic activities such as the construction of public facilities. County Manager Brian Alligood said the county has looked at financing arrangements for a future elementary school at the southern end of the county, where growth from northern Wake County has been particularly aggressive, and said recovery zone bonds are an option. What the commission’s action Monday does is designate all of Granville County as a recovery zone, with the future school as a project. And Alligood said

the county could even seek bond money from other counties that do not use theirs. Under questioning from Commissioner James Lumpkins, Alligood said there is no guarantee of such funding and said the county would choose the best financing, but reiterated recovery zone bonds would remain an option. Among other items of business, the county approved receiving the audit report for the 2008-09 Fiscal Year from Oxford accountant Leonard Creech. As Creech did earlier this year in speaking about the audit for Fiscal 2007-08, he said Monday that a weakness was regarding the need for accounting duties to be segregated to ensure transactions are handled appropriately. Creech on Monday did commend the county for hiring an internal auditor,

which he said helps mitigate concerns about having an additional set of eyes examining the county’s books. Creech said the positives of the audit included the county having managed to cut expenses enough ahead of time to have a $952,000 surplus in the general fund operation, which he noted is excellent in view of the weak national economy. “Your overall performance remains strong,” Creech said. The commission later went into closed session, with County Attorney Jim Wrenn citing the need to discuss an attorney-client matter and Commission Chairman Tony Cozart saying there was a need to discuss a personnel matter. Commission Clerk Bobbie Wilson told the newspaper that no actions were taken. Contact the writer at bwest@ hendersondispatch.com.

SCHOOL, from page one and faculty members from Clark Street Elementary will relocate to the building scheduled to open next August. It will also house children from other areas. The committee’s second selection is intended to honor Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown, who founded the Palmer Institute in Sedalia in the early 1900s. Born in 1883 to former slaves in Henderson, she was the president of the prep school for AfricanAmericans for 50 years. Brown was also a nationally known lecturer, social worker and religious leader. During the session Tuesday night, the members of the panel decided that the name of Dr. James P. Green probably belongs on some

type of medical building. Three of the four speakers at a poorly attended public hearing at E.M. Rollins Elementary last Thursday night endorsed Green for the recognition. They included his widow, Carolyn S. Green of Henderson, and his granddaughter, Carolyne Green-Bello of Durham.

The other names considered by the committee included Central, Clark-Garrett, Margaret Ellis, Person, Thomas D. Hardie Sr., Dr. Sumner Malone Parham, William Reavis, Dr. Marty Smith, Southeast, Southern and Southern Vance. Contact the writer at awheless@hendersondispatch.com.

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The Daily Dispatch

U.S. tops world in health care spending

A DAY ON WALL STREET 11,000

Dec. 8, 2009

Dow Jones industrials

10,000 9,000

10,285.97

By GREG KELLER AP Business Writer

8,000

-104.14 A

7,000

PARIS — The United States ranks near the 2,400 bottom in life expectancy Dec. 8, 2009 2,200 among wealthy nations Nasdaq 2,000 despite spending more than composite 1,800 double per person on health 1,600 -16.62 care than the industrialized 1,400 A S O N D 2,172.99 world’s average, an ecoHigh 2,187.19 Low 2,160.43 Pct. change from previous: -0.76% nomic group said Tuesday. Life expectancy at birth 1,200 Dec. 8, 2009 in the U.S. was 78.1 years 1,100 Standard & 1,000 in 2007, according to the 900 Poor’s 500 Organization for Economic 800 700 -11.31 Cooperation and Develop600 A S O N D ment. 1,091.94 That’s a year less than High 1,103.04 Pct. change from previous: -1.03% Low 1,088.60 the OECD average of 79.1, SOURCE: SunGard AP and puts the U.S. just MARKET ROUNDUP 120809: Market ahead of the Czech Repubcharts show Dow,M S&P 500, and Currencies & etals lic, Poland and Mexico, Nasdaq; stand-alone; 2c x 4 1/2 inches; 96 mm x 114 mm; staff where spending on health Aluminum - $.9536 per lb., London Metal NEW YORK (AP) — Key currency excare is many times less per Editors: All figures as of: 5:25:06 PM EST Exch. change rates Tuesday: NOTE: Figures reflect market fluctuations after not match other AP content close; Coppermay -$3.1387 Cathode full plate, LME. person, the Paris-based Dollar vs: ExchgRate PvsDay Copper $3.1395 N.Y. Merc spot Tue. organization said in its lat Lead - $2296.50 metric ton, London Metal Yen 88.34 89.48 est survey of health trends Exch. Euro $1.4685 $1.4823 among its 30 rich member Zinc - $1.0432 per lb., London Metal Exch. Pound $1.6261 $1.6439 Gold - $1146.75 Handy & Harman (only Swiss franc 1.0283 1.0192 countries. daily quote). Canadian dollar 1.0671 1.0531 Total U.S. spending on Gold - $1142.80 troy oz., NY Merc spot Mexican peso 12.8950 12.6500 health care was $7,290 Tue. Metal Price PvsDay Silver - $17.980 Handy & Harman (only a person in 2007, nearly Pct. change from previous: -1%

NY Merc Gold $1142.80 $1163.40 NY HSBC Bank US $1126.00 $1163.00 NY Merc Silver $17.785 $18.336 Nonferrous NEW YORK (AP) — Spot nonferrous metal prices Tuesday:

High 10,385.65

Low 10,249.84

daily quote). Silver - $17.785 troy oz., N.Y. Merc spot Tue. Platinum -$1444.00 troy oz., N.Y. (contract). Platinum -$1440.40 troy oz., N.Y. Merc spot Tue. n.q.-not quoted, n.a.-not available r-revised

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two-and-a-half times the OECD average of $2,984. The figures include spending by both individuals and governments. “It suggests that the U.S. is not getting great value for its health spending, in terms of life expectancy,” Gaetan Lafortune, one of the report’s co-authors said. He said the U.S. needs to look “closely at spending that has little or no value in terms of improved health.” “Life expectancy is only partly driven by how a country’s health care system performs,” Lafortune said. Outside factors such as the country’s higher rates of obesity and violent death, as well as mishandling of chronic conditions leading to avoidable hospital stays, play a bigger role in life expectancy rates than health care spending, Lafortune said. Spending on health care in the U.S. grew more quickly between 1997 and

2007 than in France, Italy, Germany and Spain, averaging 3.4 percent annually over the period. The U.S. growth rate was still below the OECD average of 4.1 percent. The U.S. far outspent the next biggest health care spenders, Norway and Switzerland, despite the fact that those countries’ life expectancies are two to four years longer, according to the report. The report notes that, in addition to the U.S., Denmark and Hungary also have lower life expectancies than would be predicted by their relative wealth and levels of health care spending. On the other hand, the Japanese and the Spanish live longer on average than their national income and their health care spending would predict. The U.S. also underperforms other rich countries in the health of its youngest. U.S. infant mortality, at

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opposed the compromise. Robert Owens said it would place an unjustified burden on customers during the recession.

6.7 deaths per 1,000 live births, was well above the OECD average of 3.9 in 2007. Only Mexico and Turkey had worse rates of infant mortality. In Luxembourg, the top performer, the infant mortality rate was only 1.8. The report noted that research suggests many factors beyond the quality of a country’s health system, such as income inequality and individual lifestyles and attitudes, influence infant mortality rates. Per capita spending on pharmaceuticals rose by almost 50 percent over the last 10 years in OECD countries, reaching a total of $650 billion in 2007. The U.S. was the world’s biggest spender on pharmaceuticals, spending $878 per person, with Canada next at $691 per person and the OECD average at $461.

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CMYK 6A

Opinion

The Daily Dispatch

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VIII VII VI

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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 To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform [their] enterprise. He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong. They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope in the noonday as in the night. But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty. So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth. Behold, happy [is] the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty. Job 5:11-17

Our Opinion

A Christmas wish for white Talk about taking the fun out of Christmas! As much as we lie in bed anticipating the excitement of Santa’s arrival with a sack full of goodies on Christmas Eve and Christmas, we live for the “perfect” Christmas – one that has gifts under the tree AND snow on the ground. We recall a Christmas from the mid- to late 1960s when such a Christmas came along in Henderson. There’s probably some old photograph somewhere of a kid in a new cowboy outfit out standing in a snow-covered yard with an obvious goofy grin on his face. Pure joy! Perhaps you readers have better memories than ours as to when we’ve had white Christmases here in the Tri-County area. Now, along comes the national Climatic Data Center with a list of selected cities and their probability of white Christmases. What are the chances of White Christmas in the Tri-County? We’re right there between Charlotte at 1 percent and Richmond at 7 percent. Our city didn’t make the “selected cities” list, but the official snow probability map as published by the center puts us at less than 5 percent. Asheville has a 7 percent chance of an inch of snow on Christmas Day, Greensboro, 10 percent; Raleigh, 3 percent; and Wilmington, yes, Wilmington, 3 percent. What does that mean for us? A chance of snow on Christmas every 25 years? Every 35 years? Even longer? Considering it’s been more than 40 years since we remember snow on the ground on Christmas Day in these parts, could our odds be getting better that this could be the year? We can thank Bing Crosby and Norman Rockwell and Charles Dickens and movies like “It’s a Wonderful Life” for tying Christmas to snow. Sure, we could move to Fairbanks, Alaska, where the chance of a Christmas snow is 100 percent, or Duluth, Minnesota, at 97 percent, or even Concord, New Hampshire, at 87 percent. But, you probably guessed it, who likes all that cold weather? The fact that Fairbanks has a 100 percent chance of snow on Christmas Day means it probably snows every other day of the year, too. We’re sure that would get old. We must admit: there’s something almost magical about the rare snows we get in these parts – just the right amounts so that we can still enjoy them. Like the magic of Christmas morning, we can hope for a surprise. Our odds aren’t good, but that can’t stop us for wishing for something special on Christmas.

Quotable “I’m not a music critic, nor historian, nor archivist. But I am from New Jersey. And so I can tell you what I believe. ... I believe that Bob Dylan and James Brown had a baby.” — Jon Stewart in remarks recounting his theory of how The Boss came to be during a tribute to Bruce Springsteen at a White House reception before the iconic rocker was lauded with Kennedy Center Honors along with Robert De Niro, comic genius Mel Brooks, jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck and opera singer Grace Bumbry.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Get ready for the War-ette The best part of a long-term Afghanistan occupation is there’s no shame in failing, since we’ll be joining so many other proud names on such a very long list. The worst part of a long-term occupation of Afghanistan is the many moons it’s going to take for us to figure that out. And according to the president, we should input that online calendar repeating entry until summer of 2011. Minimum. It took the president 33 minutes in front of a crowd of acutely attentive West Point Cadets to explain the ins and outs of our upcoming Afghan escalation. The Second Surge. He painstakingly detailed how absolutely necessary it is that we go in and support these fine tribal folk who wouldn’t know democracy if it climbed up their pants on a threelegged camel and peed down their leg. He went on to stress that while understanding about the whole getting-in is important, it is even more imperative that we are cognizant of how vital it is that we also get out. And fast. Not as fast as we’re going in, mind you, but we got to get out quicker than you can say

“Hey, everybody, its opium poppy harvest time again.” A bit of the old in-out, in-out. You could call it the Clockwork Orange Speech. Kudos to the White House for breaking new ground. Never has an administration set this country on course to fight a war with an expiration date. Constrained Will hostilities. Durst A mini serious. Its an Tribune Media Services innovative strategy. A refrigerated war with a sell-by stamp, like a pint of lox schmear. An evanescent ruckus. Tiny carnage. From now on, let’s just call it The War-ette. A cursory confrontation cramped by a clock. Or in this case, a sundial. We all know what’s going to happen. Being forewarned, the Taliban will play hide-andseek while wearing spelunking gear until our ticket home gets punched in July 2011. Wouldn’t you? “The enemy is

coming! The enemy is coming! But their return flights are confirmed 18 months from now.” “Okay, we’ll hunker down ‘til then. We can use my family’s summer cave. Everybody jump into the wagon. No. No. The wagon. With the straw and the rifles and the goats.” Our good buddy, Afghani President Hamid Karzai, is on board… with reservations. Oh, he has reservations? During the last election, this nefariant handed out ballots with his name pre-selected on them. Apparently, not only is Katherine Harris in the campaign manager business, she’s branching out internationally. He then allowed how the election may have featured a wee bit of a tad of voter fraud, but still deserved praise. Okay, Hamid. Nice voter fraud. Now Karzai is setting up a corruption task force. And you couldn’t find a more qualified guy, considering his lifetime hands-on experience with the subject. I’m just curious as to which side of the corruption task-force he’ll be working. President Obama insists that one of the keys for this all to succeed is for the Afghan

military and police to step up. Oops. Excuse me, sir, I see another small snag here. I don’t mean to sound all chauvinistically modern and all, but mightn’t it help if the people wearing the uniforms over there knew how to READ? Of course, education is more collateral damage destined to be abandoned in our wake. Except for the hard and ugly lessons we’ll be taking home. Which, once again, nobody will learn from. Comic, actor, writer, former radio talk-show host and margarine smuggler Will Durst wonders why can’t every day be like Xmas? Will Durst is a political comedian who has performed around the world. He is a familiar pundit on television and radio. E-mail Will at durst@ caglecartoons.com. Check out willandwillie.com for the latest podcast. Will Durst’s book, “The All American Sport of Bipartisan Bashing,” is available from Amazon and better bookstores all over this great land of ours. Don’t forget to check out his rooftop comedy minutes at: http://www.rooftopcomedy. com/shows/BurstOfDurst.

Assessing pre-blame for climate-change summit This week’s Copenhagen summit on climate change already seems doomed to failure, and voices on both sides of the global-warming debate are trying to pin the blame on Climategate. Republicans on Capitol Hill are trying to use Climategate to scuttle the Democrats’ cap-and-trade legislation. Even the Saudis — who like fossil fuels even more than Tiger Woods likes the ladies — are getting in on the act, saying the scandal casts the entire case for global warming in doubt. “Climategate,” aka warmerquiddick, aka the CRUtape letters, aka the Mother of All Publicity Disasters, refers to the leaking of vast numbers of e-mails and other documents from a leading British globalwarming outfit, the Climatic Research Unit. The e-mails show, depending on your outlook, anything from sloppiness, pettiness and dishonesty to outright fraud among some of the world’s leading climate scientists. The e-mails don’t show that the scientists don’t believe global warming is real. Rather, they show that the scientists believe in global warming so much, they think they’re justified in doing anything to fight it. To paraphrase Bob Dylan, you never ask questions when Gaia’s on your side. Climategate is a big deal, but we should be clear: It’s not why cap-and-trade should be scuttled, and it’s not why

Copenhagen will produce nothing, save enormous expense-account submissions for cookie-pushing climate diplomats (and a massive amount of greenhouse gases; the U.N. estimates the 12-day Jonah “green” Goldberg confab will produce Tribune Media 40,584 Services tons of CO2 equivalents, roughly equal to Morocco’s carbon footprint in 2006). Here is one simple, inconvenient truth: No developing country with significant and remotely accessible stocks of fossil fuels will agree to leave the stuff in the ground. “Ten countries ruled by nasty people control 80 percent of the planet’s oil reserves — about 1 trillion barrels, currently worth about $40 trillion,” writes energy expert Peter Huber in City Journal. “If $40 trillion worth of gold were located where most of the oil is, one could only scoff at any suggestion that we might somehow persuade the nasty people to leave the wealth buried. They can lift most of their oil at a cost well under $10 a barrel. They will drill. They will pump. And they will find buyers. Oil is all they’ve got.”

And it’s not just the nasty countries. Canada, the Dudley Do-Right of the international community, insists on exploiting its vast and dirty oil reserves in the so-called “tar sands” under Alberta. The intro to an article by British eco-scold George Monbiot declared: “Canada’s image lies in tatters. It is now to climate what Japan is to whaling.” If Canada, which has long been the U.N.’s Richie Cunningham, won’t play ball, does anyone think the Chinese, Indians or Brazilians will? Here’s another inconvenient truth: The United States will not agree to draconian carbon caps either, for the simple reason it would be political suicide for all but a handful of politicians. Unless you represent hyper-wealthy liberal enclaves or the ethanol moonshine industry, it makes no sense to vote for anything like cap-and-trade. That’s why the Kyoto Protocol never made it out of the crib in the United States. It was often said that President George W. Bush “refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol.” This is technically true — because Bush couldn’t sign Kyoto. It was already signed during the Clinton presidency (Bush didn’t sign the Treaty of Versailles either). The important point is that Clinton immediately shoved it in his desk drawer because he knew it would never be ratified by the Senate. Indeed,

the Senate voted 95-0 to not even consider ratifying it so long as developing countries like China were left out of the scheme. (See inconvenient truth No. 1.) Overlooked by the mobs who decried Bush’s “treason against the planet” (to borrow a phrase from Paul Krugman) is the fact that Barack Obama has opted to stay out of the Kyoto system for the same reason. Making carbon fuels more expensive for us while not making them more expensive for China and Co. means that fossil-fuel users will move their businesses to the developing world even faster while costs and taxes for consumers will skyrocket. While it’s great fun — and entirely worthwhile — to make a big stink about Climategate, it would be a shame if people believed that Copenhagen’s inevitable failure hinged on this one scandal. Even if the CRU researchers were the model of scientific dispassion, these schemes are pointless. Indeed, even if global warming is the threat the alarmists claim it is, it makes no sense to waste trillions of dollars on “fixes” that will do little to fix the alleged problem. It’s time to start over, beginning with the science. (You can write to Jonah Goldberg in care of this newspaper or by e-mail at JonahsColumn@aol.com.)

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Ten years ago: In Worcester, Mass., six firefighters who had died in a warehouse blaze were honored as fallen heroes by thousands of their brethren from around the world. Five years ago: President George W. Bush ruled out raising taxes to finance a Social Security overhaul. Bush announced he was keeping the heads of the Transportation, Interior, Housing and Labor departments. Canada’s Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage was constitutional. One year ago: Illinois Gov. Rod