The Daily Dispatch - Saturday, December 12, 2009 by The Daily Dispatch

CMYK KVA wrestling pinned by S. Granville

Thomas Chapel calls new pastor

American Profile magazine

Sports, Page 1B

Faith, Page 1C

Inside today SATURDAY, December 12, 2009

Volume XCV, No. 291

(252) 436-2700

www.hendersondispatch.com

School fight had start in incident in community

Former school employee to run for Wright’s seat

By DISPATCH STAFF

Please see STUDENTS, page 4A

Index Our Hometown . . . . . 2A Business & Farm. . . . 5A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . 6A Light Side . . . . . . . . . 7A Sports. . . . . . . . . . 1-3B Faith. . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4C Comics . . . . . . . . . . . 5C Classifieds. . . . . . . 6-8C

Weather Today Partly cloudy

High: 46 Low: 35

Sunday Rain likely

High: 45 Low: 34

Details, 3A

Deaths

By DAVID IRVINE Daily Dispatch Writer

Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE

Sandra Wiggins, social studies teacher from Southern Vance, works on a laptop Wednesday afternoon while Janet White and Kirsha Robertson, teachers from Northern Vance, talk about a wiki page during staff development for Vance County Schools 1 to 1 Initiative at Southern Vance High School.

Teachers learning how to teach use of laptops in high schools By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer

In the near future, some public high school students in Vance County will probably no longer be able to say, “My dog ate my homework.” Teaching teachers to teach teachers to teach freshmen in the next school year — and possibly sophomores “down the road” — how to use their new laptops was the purpose of an Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE unusual class held Wednesday in the drama room at Southern The glow of laptop computers helps illuminate the darkened drama Vance High School. Eventually, tests, homework, room at Southern Vance High School during staff development for teachers from Southern Vance, Northern Vance, Western Vance and the study exercises and other assignments will be carried out on Early College High School on Vance County Schools’ 1 to 1 Initiative Wednesday afternoon. students’ computers and then transmitted to the teacher’s. started, Williams told her pumaybe more — from the Golden Parents will also be getting pils they had eight minutes to LEAF Foundation. the instructions on how to use mingle with each other to trade Even if that doesn’t happen, the laptops. names and interesting facts a spokesperson for the school Eighteen teachers and about themselves. system said Wednesday, efforts administrators took the first of “If you happen to make a love will still be made to get lap tops two sessions to gain the inforconnection into the hands of about 800 mation they (during the will disperse ninth-graders and, eventually, at Southern, ‘These are computer-based process), that’s an equal number of 10th-gradnot what this Northern ers. children ... we are handing is about, but and Western The Dell computers, which if you do, send Vance, as well them paper and pencil’ are wireless, will each cost apme an invitaas the Early proximately $400. tion (to the College High Brian Creasman, Southern School at Vance-Granville Com- wedding),” Williams said. Vance’s principal, told the group The next training class is munity College. that “there is a lot of trainThey were taught by Orlando scheduled to be conducted Jan. ing for teachers, parents and 25. Terry, the technical support students that needs to be done, Vance County Schools ofperson at Southern Vance, and and it needs to start right now, ficials have high hopes that Tonya Williams, a career and or we’ll run out of time.” many of the computers will be technical education instructor He explained to them that paid for with the help of at least at North Vance. Please see LAPTOPS, page 4A $662,000 in grant money — and Shortly after the class

William Gordon Wilder has announced his intention to file for a position on the Vance County Board of Commissioners in February 2010. He hopes to represent the citizens of District 3 in Vance County on the seat now occupied by Danny Wright, who has said he will not seek re-election. Wilder, 59, is a native of Franklin County but has lived and worked in Wilder Vance County for over 35 years. During this time he has served in both professional and community volunteer capacities to promote and improve Vance County. He began his professional career with Vance County Schools in 1971, serving as an Automotive Technology instructor for 21 years and as Director of Transportation for nine years. He retired from the latter position in 2002. Since March 2002, Wilder has held the position of service manager with the local agribusiness firm Quality Equipment, LLC, formerly known as E&E Farm Equipment. He has also been actively engaged in farming in the Epsom community since 1976, growing tobacco, wheat and soybeans. Wilder is an active volunteer, working for his church, community, schools and in several appointed county positions. He is a member of New Sandy Creek Baptist Church, where he holds numerous positions, including deacon, Sunday school teacher and chairman of the Family Life Center Building Committee. Wilder has been a member of the Vance County Fire Department, Vance County Rescue Squad and the Epsom Volunteer Fire Department. He has served as president of the Aycock School PTA, the Henderson Middle School PTA and the Southern Vance High School Athletic Booster Association. Wilder was a member of the Vance County Emergency PlanPlease see CANDIDATE, page 4A

Currin house renovation gets panel’s blessing Request from Oxford Baptist Church for columbarium OK’d By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer

Louisburg Jennie L. Martinez, 49 Manson Emma Reid, 50 Rougemont Lindwood Adcock, 53 Queens, N.Y. Victor M. Tarry Sr., 70

50 cents

District 3 candidate announces

Students bickered earlier

An incident in the community Sunday spilled over into a fight Wednesday among Western Vance High School students in the Southern Vance High School parking lot, Western’s principal, Eric Pierce, said Friday. Pierce said he could not comment on the cause of the fight because the students were arrested and are awaiting appearances in court. However, he said, the fight was about retaliation. The fight involved seven students at about 8 a.m. when they were transferring from a school bus that brought them to Southern Vance to one that would take them on to Western, Pierce said. He said that all seven have been suspended in accordance with school district policy and that further action against them could be taken. He said no one was injured. All seven were charged with misdemeanor simple affray and misdemeanor disorderly conduct. Each was given a secured bond of $2,000 and court date of Jan. 5. Those charged were Sha’Keema Hargrove, 17, of 1261 Americal Road Lot

OXFORD — The Historic Preservation Commission granted a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) to a contractor to restore the decrepit-looking Manie Currin house at Obituaries, 4A 203 Main St. The vote means the contractor, Steve Gregory, must begin work within six months or else the COA is void. And the COA would be voided if Gregory discontinues work for half

a year. “We’ll be finished in six months,” Gregory said, with preservation commissioners applauding after their vote. Gregory said he believed work would start sometime next month. A COA is an approval given to a local historic landmark or property in a historic district for alterations as proposed by the property owner. The COA assures maintenance of Please see CURRIN, page 3A

Daily Dispatch/WILLIAM F. WEST

The Historic Preservation Commission has granted a Certificate of Appropriateness to a contractor to restore the Manie Currin house at 203 Main St. in Oxford.

The Daily Dispatch

Mark It Down Today Christmas parades — The Warren County Christmas parade will begin at 5 p.m. in downtown Warrenton. The Grassy Creek community in Granville County will hold its annual Christmas parade at 2 p.m. The Alert community in Franklin County will also hold its annual Christmas parade at 2 p.m. Cookies with Santa — “Cookies and Milk with Santa” will be held at the Aycock Recreation Center from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the multipurpose room. Come out and celebrate the season with Santa! Enjoy cookies and milk and make a Christmas tree ornament. Have your picture made with Santa for only $2. Holiday step show — The “Holiday Celebration Step Show,” sponsored by Southern Vance High School, will be held at the Henderson Middle School Auditorium, 219 Charles St., Henderson, at 5 p.m., featuring elementary, middle school, and high school step teams from Oxford, Warrenton, Greensboro, Durham, Hillsborough and Henderson. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. and admission is $5 in advance, $8 day of show. For information and tickets, call (919) 616-8694 or (252) 767-9783. Christmas event — “Cookies & Cocoa for Children with Special Needs” will be held at Grey Stone Baptist Church, 2601 Hillsborough Rd., Durham from 1-4 p.m. Special needs children from throughout the region, including Vance, Warren and Granville counties, can have their picture taken with Santa, make crafts, play games and have treats. The event is free. Please RSVP by contacting the Family Support Network of North Central Carolina at (919) 560-3000 or beth@familysupportonline.org. Christmas dance — The Epsom Country Club will hold its annual Christmas dance at 7 p.m., featuring the Southwind Band. Dee’s Music Barn — Dee’s Music Barn, 3101 Walters Road, Creedmoor, will be featuring Johnny Goodman & The Hard Living Band at 7 p.m. For more information, call (919) 528-5878. Ridgeway Opry House — Performing this week are Julia Morton, Cindy Ramsey, Ronald Puett, Donnie Gillam, Matt Nelson, and Allen & Betsy Reid and The Home Folks. Guest band is The Doc Branch Band. Doors open at 6 p.m. Music starts at 7 p.m.

Sunday Blood drive — Cornerstone Christian Community Church and The American Red Cross will host a blood drive from 1:305:30 p.m. Walk-in donors are welcome. Holiday concert — The Vance-Granville Community Band will present its second annual holiday concert at 4 p.m. in the Civic Center on the college’s main campus in Vance County. Admission is free and the event is open to the public.

Monday Masonic meeting — Beacon Light Masonic Lodge #249 will hold its stated communication at 7 p.m. at the lodge, located at 1204 West Andrews Ave. For more information, contact Michael Edwards at 767-3672. City Council — The Henderson City Council will meet at 7 p.m. in the council chambers of City Hall, 134 Rose Ave. The swearing in of the 2010-2012 mayor and council also will be conducted. Community watch — The Henderson Heights Apartments Community Watch will meet at the Community Building, 550 W. Andrews Ave., at 6 p.m. Genealogical society — The Vance County Genealogical Society will meet at 6:30 p.m. in the First Baptist Church fellowship hall. Board of Education — The Vance County Board of Education will meet at 7 p.m. in the Administrative Services Center Board Room, 1724 Graham Avenue.

Tuesday Masonic meeting — Henderson Masonic Lodge #229 will hold a Stated Communication at 7 p.m. at the lodge, 401 Brodie Road. Dinner is at 6 p.m., followed by the meeting at 7 p.m. All Master Masons are invited to attend. NAACP — The Vance County branch of the NAACP will meet at 7 p.m. at the Gateway Center, 314 S. Garnett St., Henderson.

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Wrap up a trip to 4-H camp this year “It’s cold out there!” to borrow a line from a popular Christmas song, and so it seems like a strange time to begin making summer plans. However, the days fly by and those long summer days will be here before we know it. In preparation for that time Pam and to Jones help you Cooperative parents Extension and grandparents plan better, let me offer 4-H summer camp programs as an option. 4-H is open to all youth regardless of whether they are in a club. What can be accomplished at camp that can’t be taught elsewhere? Summer camp is a lifechanging experience for children. 4-H summer camps operating in North Carolina offer campers a greater chance to learn, develop life skills and form

attitudes that will help them to become self-directing and productive members of society. At camp, youth focus on subjects that might be difficult to handle at home due to the need for special equipment. Camp then becomes a learning laboratory that allows youth to apply their new knowledge to reallife situations. Since the camp day is even longer than a school day, learning continues around the clock and is more intensive. Youth will have a chance to interact with people of different races and backgrounds and from different parts of the state. In the process, campers increase their understanding and appreciation of other people. Being around supportive people for even a short period of time encourages interdependence. For many youth, it’s their first experience being an equal member of a community. Campers also learn that a group’s success depends on teamwork when everyone accepts a fair share of the work. These traits can lead to campers becoming productive

Text messaging Parents and educators, BTW (by the way), do U know text message lingo? R U able to decipher this unique language? Did you know POS means “parent over shoulder” and TIW means “teacher is watching”? Knowing how to read your children’s text message abbreviations may help you keep your chil-

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FRIDAY: 5:05, 7:05 & 9:05PM SAT: 1:05, 3:05, 5:05, 7:05 & 9:05PM SUN: 1:05, 3:05, 5:05 & 7:05PM TUE-THUR: 5:05 & 7:05PM

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Portions excerpted from www.nc4h.org.

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and wisely managing the natural resources. Vance County 4-H will offer youth two opportunities to attend 4-H summer camps in 2010. Your youth may choose to attend either Betsy Jeff Penn 4-H Center in the foothills near Reidsville or Eastern 4-H Environmental Education Conference on the Albemarle Sound at the coast near Columbia. Both camps will run concurrently from June 27-July 2, 2010. Registration will be Jan. 7 at the Vance County Cooperative Extension Center at 305 Young St. from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A $75 deposit is due at that time. Final payment won’t be due until May. This holiday season, consider giving your youth a gift that will last longer than the latest fad. Be creative! Call the 4-H Youth Development office at the Vance County Cooperative Extension Center at (252) 438-8188 if you need more information.

If you miss your paper,

dren out of trouble. For a fairly comprehensive glossary of text messaging lingo, visit the following website http://www. webopedia.com/quick_ref/ textmessageabbreviations. asp or call (252) 438-8188 for a copy of the list.

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members of society. Teenagers often begin to assume adult leadership responsibilities while at camp or may receive specific instruction in leadership. Campers of all ages are exposed to working professionals and role models who may lead discussions about selecting a career. What does 4-H camp offer that can’t be found at home? 4-H camp leads to feelings of achievement and success for all. Less focus is on competition and failure, and more emphasis is on group cooperation and shared success. The adventures, new experiences and new skills found at camp contribute to a positive sense of self. The outdoor environment at camp teaches a person how to relate to the natural world and gives campers a change of pace. Being surrounded by plants, animals, birds and fish is part of the picture. Since many 4-H camp programs focus on people’s impact on the woods and open lands, campers gain firsthand exposure to reasons for protecting

Tips from the Vance Co. Parenting Task Force

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From Page One

The Daily Dispatch

FIVE-DAY FORECAST FOR HENDERSON TODAY

TONIGHT

SUNDAY

Partly Cloudy

Rain Likely

46Âş

35Âş

45Âş 34Âş

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Mostly Sunny

Few Showers

Mostly Sunny

57Âş 40Âş

58Âş 35Âş

49Âş 25Âş

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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Normal High . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Normal Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Record High . . . . . . . . .74 in 2007 Record Low . . . . . . . . .13 in 1977

.7:15 .4:59 .3:34 .2:04 .7:16 .5:00 .4:38 .2:42

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 . . . . . . . . . . . .3.92" Normal month to date . . . . .1.01" Year to date . . . . . . . . . . . . .38.26" Normal year to date . . . . . .41.02"

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 240 221.3 +0.6 Neuse Falls 264 256.1 +0.2

24-Hr. Capacity Yest. Change 203 200.2 +0.2 320 305.1 +0.7

Regional Weather Henderson 46/35

Winston-Salem Durham 47/35 45/33 Asheville 40/32

Rocky Mt. 47/37

Greensboro 46/33 Raleigh 48/35 Charlotte 44/35

Fayetteville 50/39

Shown is todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weather. Temperatures are todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highs and tonightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lows.

Cape Hatteras 50/46

Wilmington 53/48

Regional Cities Today

Today

Sun.

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

40/32 42/31 46/33 47/34 45/38 45/33 47/35 47/38 46/31 50/39 49/38 46/33 49/40 53/43 39/32

46/33 52/42 50/41 49/42 51/47 53/48 48/44 49/41 48/35 45/31 46/35 47/37 48/36 53/48 45/33

sn pc pc pc ra s pc pc pc pc pc pc s pc sn

46/36 46/34 43/35 45/35 53/44 43/34 45/36 58/41 43/37 50/40 52/40 43/35 56/39 59/45 45/36

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

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

pc pc pc pc ra pc pc pc pc pc s pc pc mc pc

43/35 59/42 57/39 54/42 61/45 60/47 55/50 57/45 47/37 45/34 49/35 50/38 47/37 61/45 43/34

ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra

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

the propertyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic integrity. Gregory said he has been in negotiations with Currin, who was not present for the Preservation Committee meeting, which was held Thursday evening at City Hall. Gregory was accompanied by his brother, Sid. Preservation Commission Chairwoman Virginia Clay wanted to know when the negotiations with Currin would be completed and when the Gregory brothers would begin work. Steve Gregory said that â&#x20AC;&#x153;unfortunatelyâ&#x20AC;? Currin has family members with health problems in addition to continuing her work. Currin is in the court reporting business. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve just been unable to connect,â&#x20AC;? Steve Gregory said, noting details about the restoration are ready to submit to Currin. When Clay asked whether a meeting is scheduled with Currin, Steve Gregory said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;She is very difficult. Yes, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m trying.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Like I say, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of personal issues,â&#x20AC;? Steve Gregory said. Clay asked whether there is any point in issuing a COA when there is no contract. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think we ought to do what we can to encourage the work,â&#x20AC;? Preservation Commissioner Yancey Washington said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been trying very hard,â&#x20AC;? Steve Gregory said, also noting this has been the most difficult structure to obtain pricing regarding replacing materials. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Anything to get the ball rolling,â&#x20AC;? Preservation Commissioner Susan Wicker said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Please approve it,â&#x20AC;? Steve Gregory said with a smile and a laugh. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve

been working on this thing since last December.â&#x20AC;? Preservation Commissioner Cynthia Yancey led the vote, which was unanimous. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And start soon,â&#x20AC;? Wicker said. Earlier in the meeting, Steve Gregory presented what was a poor-quality image of the more-thancentury-old house he said was provided to him by Currin. Of the house, Sid Gregory said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got a lot of water damage. The roofing leaked for years.â&#x20AC;? Steve Gregory said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actually not in as bad a shape as it actually looks,â&#x20AC;? noting the house was built with good materials. Sid Gregory said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It just looks bad, but weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just trying to put it back to its original condition,â&#x20AC;? noting no aluminum or vinyl will be put on the property. Steve Gregory said a major part of the plan is to remove slate roofing from the part of the roof extending over the front porch to use in replacing slate roofing on the main part of the house. That is because replacement slates were unavailable, Steve Gregory said. And Steve Gregory said he will replace the roofing over the front porch with black, steel standing seam roofing. Standing seam roofing is composed of pans that run parallel to the slope of the roof. And Steve Gregory said metal roofing can be found on the back side of the house. And Steve Gregory said the plans include repairs to chimney foundations. That prompted Clay to ask what would happen if the Gregory brothers had to replace any deteriorated brick. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got some brick

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Warm Front

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cluster of stately mansions and additionally is across from a Richard H. Thornton Library undergoing renovation. In other business Thursday evening, the Preservation Commission quickly approved a COA for Oxford Baptist Church, 147 Main St., to have a columbarium, which is a vault with niches containing urns of the ashes of the dead. The columbarium will be between the educational building and the sanctuary. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very in keeping with the architecture of the church as it still is,â&#x20AC;? said Jed Pittard, who is a member of the churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s columbarium committee. The Preservation Commission met for nearly 40 minutes. Near the end of the meeting, Clay let her fellow commissioners know she is not going to be willing to serve as chairwoman after the next meeting because of the intensity of her private sector duties. Clay is a financial advisor. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I need to get off of this responsibility,â&#x20AC;? Clay said, noting she will be supportive in filling out her term, which ends in June. The Preservation Commission will meet again Feb. 18. Yancey is serving as the Preservation Commissionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vice chairwoman and her term also ends in June. Juanita Rogers and Martha Sneed were absent from Thursday eveningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s meeting. Their terms also end in June.

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around there,â&#x20AC;? Steve Gregory replied, clarifying his answer to say Currin has some bricks and slates below the residence. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of stuff under the house,â&#x20AC;? Sid Gregory said, to laughter in the meeting room. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All right, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s be nice now,â&#x20AC;? Steve Gregory said in a good-natured tone. Currinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home has at times been a subject of talk by local officials. Mayor Al Woodlief in late 2006 told this reporter that one of his priorities for 2007 was to select a beautification panel to come up with ways to clamp down on irresponsible property owners. And Woodlief added, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to have some people to holler.â&#x20AC;? Woodlief was referring to Currin being one of them. Currin declined comment when offered the opportunity at the time by this reporter, except to say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Let him (Woodlief) have his fun.â&#x20AC;? Woodlief had even been describing the Currin residence as resembling the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Munster House,â&#x20AC;? a derogatory reference to the 1960s television sit-com that starred Fred Gwynne and humorously depicted the life of a family of horror movie monsters who believed they were normal. The City Commission in September did pass a demolition by neglect ordinance, which gives the city the power to act against delinquent property owners in the College Street and Main Street historic districts. Currinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s residence is at the edge of a vibrant central business district and a

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Local News

The Daily Dispatch

Deaths Lindwood Adcock OXFORD — Lindwood “Buck” Adcock, 53, a resident of 543 Highway 158 West, Rougemont, died Friday, Dec. 11, 2009, after a long battle with cancer. A native of Granville County, he was the son of the late Ben and Dolly Oakley Adcock. He was an avid Dale Earnhart fan and was a mechanic by trade. Graveside funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday at Mt. Zion Baptist Church Cemetery by the Revs. Keith Williams and Matt Rummage. The visitation will be from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Monday, prior to the graveside service, at the Eakes Funeral Home in Oxford and at other times at the home.

liam V. Lewis, and her stepfather, Jack Barnes. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at White Level Baptist Church with the Rev. Henry Stamper officiating. The family will receive friends immediately after the service and other times at the home. She is survived by her son, Adrian Martinez; mother, Millie Barnes both of Louisburg; brothers, Ron Lewis of Venice, Fla., Marshall Lewis of Louisburg, and Mike Lewis of Chesapeake, Va. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to White Level Baptist Church, Building Fund, 2400 White Level Road, Louisburg, N.C. 27549. Arrangements are by Strickland Funeral Home of Louisburg.

Emma Reid

Jennie L. Martinez

MANSON — Emma Reid, 50, of Manson, died Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009, at Maria Parham Medical Center in Henderson. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday at Oak Level

LOUISBURG — Jennie Lewis Martinez, 49, of Louisburg, was born Dec. 2, 1960, and died Friday, Dec. 11, 2009. She was preceded in death by her father, Wil-

United Church of Christ in Manson. The Rev. Leon White will officiate and burial will follow in the church cemetery. She is survived by two sons, Shawn E. Reid and Derrick J. Reid of Manson; her mother, Anna B. Reid of Manson; five sisters, Lucy Henderson, Eller Bullock, Hattie Alexander, Maggie Durham and Betty Yancey, all of Manson; and a brother, James Reid Jr. of Manson. The body will be on view today from noon until 7 p.m. at Boyd’s Funeral Service Chapel in Warrenton. Arrangements are by Boyd’s Funeral Service Chapel of Warrenton.

Victor M. Tarry Sr. QUEENS, N.Y. — Victor Marcellus Tarry Sr., 70, a resident of Queens, N.Y., died Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009. He was born in Richmond, Va., to the late Bailey Hal and Annie Mae Terry Tarry. Funeral arrangements will be announced later by Davis-Royster Funeral Service.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

LAPTOPS, from page one “we’re not doing away with paper. We’re just adding another device.” He described the 1-to-1 Initiative Project, which it is called, as “one of the biggest programs the high schools have been involved in, besides the introduction of chalk boards into the classrooms.” Williams explained that “nine out of 10 of our students are no longer paper-and-book children. But when you walk in a classroom, we are teaching with paper and books.” These days, she said, “We need to use the tools our students are using to reach them.” Williams was referring to the cell phone, MP3 player, Facebook and Twitter. “These are computerbased children, and we are handing them paper and pencil which is torture to

Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE

A brand new Dell Latitude 2100 laptop computer sits at a work station Wednesday afternoon for staff development for Vance County School’s 1 to 1 Initiative at Southern Vance High School. These smaller sized computers are like the ones the system will be purchasing for incoming freshman in August 2010. them,” Terry said. “They are more interactive now than stationary.” He disclosed that “we have IPod Touch at South-

ers on Ocracoke Island. The Department of Labor issued nine citations and fines of more than $40,000 Friday against the firm for the July 4 explosion. The company was fined for having the workers use

ning Committee and served for a number of years as the chairman of the Vance County Transportation Advisory Committee. Wilder is married to Pamela Moss Wilder. They reside at 6086 N.C. 39 Highway South. They have two grown daughters. In announcing his plans the back of the box truck to to file for the District 3 put fuses into the 680 pounds county commissioner’s of fireworks. seat, Wilder said, “I wish It was also fined for havto continue serving the ing a motorcycle battery citizens of Vance County inside the truck and using and, specifically, those in steel tools that could create the Third District. Vance a spark. County has been good to me

2 drivers, infant killed in head-on N.C. crash HOPE MILLS (AP) — Authorities say a baby and two adults died in a four-vehicle wreck in North Carolina. Police said that the driver of a Ford Mustang crossed the center line and hit a sport

utility vehicle around 2:30 p.m. Thursday in Hope Mills. Two other vehicles also crashed. Hope Mills police said 26-year-old Tristan Hanna of Webster, N.Y., and 26-year-old Hien Truong of Parkton died

Thursday at hospitals. Hanna was driving the Mustang, and Truong was driving the SUV. Truong’s infant daughter died Thursday night. Two other adults were in critical condition.

STUDENTS, from page one 4; Tu’Keisha Person, 18, of 1261 Americal Road Lot 4; Elvis Morgan III, 16, of 1009 Harriett St.; James Kearney, 17, of 92 Casei Lane; Janequa Gregory, 16, of 160 S. Vance

and my family. I now wish to contribute to the improvement of life for all Vance County citizens.” Wilder said that he has a simple agenda: • To serve as a catalyst to improve communication and cooperation between the city and county governments and with the school board. • To work with the local board members to present a united front to federal and state government representatives. • To explore creative ways to recruit new businesses and to work with

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N.C. fines S.C. fireworks firm $40,000 for fatal blast RALEIGH (AP) — North Carolina labor officials say Melrose South Pyrotechnics of South Carolina let its employees keep a cigarette pack and lighter right by a truck full of fireworks that exploded, killing four work-

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The Daily Dispatch

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Navy marks start on second warship memorializing 9/11 AVONDALE, La. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; A ceremony steeped in shipbuilding tradition kicked off major construction Friday on a U.S. Navy assault vessel named in honor of United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. It is the second of three new Navy ships named for the sites of the Sept. 11 attacks. The USS New York entered service last month and the Arlington, memorializing the strike on the Pentagon, is under construction. At the Northrop Grumman Corp. shipyard near New Orleans, the keel of the Somerset â&#x20AC;&#x201D; named for the Pennsylvania county where Flight 93 went down, killing all 40 passengers and crew members â&#x20AC;&#x201D; was authenticated by the shipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sponsor, Mary Joe Myers, the wife of retired Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Myers initialed a plaque stating the keel â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the shipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basic foundation â&#x20AC;&#x201D; has been â&#x20AC;&#x153;truly and fairly laid.â&#x20AC;? Afterwards, Northrop Grumman welder Lanford Bridges cut the initials into the plaque with a torch. The $1.2 billion vessel is expected to be delivered to the Navy in 2012. The Somerset

Dow Jones industrials

10,000 8,000 A

High 10,484.05

2,400

Nasdaq composite

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

-0.55 A

High 2,202.40

Pct. change from previous: -0.03%

Standard & Poorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 500 +4.06

Lanford Bridges welds the signature of sponsor Mary Jo Myers into a plaque during the keel authentication ceremony Friday for the amphibious transport dock ship Somerset at the Northrop Grumman Corp. shipyard in Avondale, La. Somerset is named in honor of the heroes lost on Sept. 11, 2001 on United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Somerset, Pa. is 684 feet long, is serviced by a crew of 350 sailors and can carry up to 800 Marines into assault operations. It has a flight deck that can handle helicopters and the MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. Flight 93 had left Newark, N.J., for San Francisco when four terrorists commandeered the cockpit. Investigators believe terrorists crashed the plane as passengers rushed the cockpit, making it the only one of the four airliners hijacked that day that did not reach its intended target, believed to be Washington. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We continue to inspired by the selfless courage of

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those on Flight 93,â&#x20AC;? said Gordon Felt, who has worked at the Avondale yard for 19 years and lost a brother, Edward, in the crash. Felt is president of Families of Flight 93. The ship is a San Antonioclass amphibious dock vessel. The first five ships in the series â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the USS San Antonio, USS New Orleans, USS Mesa Verde, USS Green Bay and USS New York â&#x20AC;&#x201D; are in service. Three other ships in the class are under construction: Anchorage at the Avondale yard, and Arlington and San Diego at Northrop Grummanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s yard in Pascagoula, Miss.

Pct. change from previous: +0.37% SOURCE: SunGard

High 1,108.50

1,400

Low 2,179.51

December 11, 2009

AP Photo/Cheryl Gerber

7,000

Low 10,400.08

December 11, 2009

1,106.41

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

9,000

+65.67

2,190.31

Stocks

11,000

December 11, 2009

Pct. change from previous: +0.63%

By ALAN SAYRE Associated Press Writer

Area

A DAY ON WALL STREET

10,471.50

Saturday, December 12, 2009

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

Low 1,101.33 AP

MARKET ROUNDUP 121109: Market

charts show Dow,M S&P 500, and Currencies & etals

Nasdaq; stand-alone; 2c x 4 1/2 inches; 96 mm x 114 mm; staff Aluminum - $.9811 per lb., London Metal NEW YORK (AP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Key currency exEditors: All figures as of: 5:25:06 PM EST change rates Friday: Exch. NOTE: Figures reflect market fluctuations after not match other AP content close; Coppermay -$3.0866 Cathode full plate, LME. Dollar vs: ExchgRate PvsDay Copper $3.1100 N.Y. Merc spot Fri. Yen 89.18 88.20 Lead - $2259.00 metric ton, London Metal Euro $1.4617 $1.4720 Exch. Pound $1.6241 $1.6264 Zinc - $1.0271 per lb., London Metal Exch. Swiss franc 1.0341 1.0266 Gold - $1124.00 Handy & Harman (only Canadian dollar 1.0606 1.0504 daily quote). Mexican peso 12.9340 12.9820 Gold - $1119.40 troy oz., NY Merc spot Fri. Metal Price PvsDay Silver - $17.000 Handy & Harman (only NY Merc Gold $1119.40 $1125.70 daily quote). NY HSBC Bank US $1116.00 $1127.00 Silver - $17.084 troy oz., N.Y. Merc spot Fri. NY Merc Silver $17.084 $17.173Â Platinum -$1432.00 troy oz., N.Y. (contract). Platinum -$1422.70 troy oz., N.Y. Merc spot Nonferrous Fri. NEW YORK (AP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Spot nonferrous metal n.q.-not quoted, n.a.-not available r-revised prices Friday:

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 Wells Fargo Wendyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Establis Delhaize

56.56 28.01 51.49 15.63 25.88 59.11 32.22 17.81 72.83 9.00 15.92 28.49 129.68 64.85 24.48 2.99 6.15 23.88 3.34 61.27 19.52 62.34 41.98 4.83 52.12 53.00 18.90 4.07 22.31 45.86 33.73 47.88 54.65 25.41 3.98 77.75

Exec charged with cutting care going home for holidays WINSTON-SALEM (AP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; William Charles Rodgers, head of Pace Airlines Inc. and accused of stopping payment on his employeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; group health insurance, can go home to Missouri for

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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 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name [was] Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, [thou that art] highly favoured, the Lord [is] with thee: blessed [art] thou among women. Luke 1:26-28

Our Opinion

Could this be the year? Because it looked like snow and felt like snow on Friday, we’d like to take a moment to look around again at the subject of Christmas snows in Henderson and the Tri-County area. If you’ll recall from our words on this page this past Wednesday, we were lamenting our low-percentage chances of a white Christmas in these parts — less than 5 percent, the National Climatic Data Center says. In the process, we were attempting to recall a “perfect” Christmas that brought both gifts from Santa AND snow! At the time, our best recollection of the last significant Christmas snow here in Henderson was in the mid- to late 1960s. Bob Pridgen of Norlina has pinpointed the year for us: 1966. He wrote to us this week: “I was in the eighth grade the year we had the snow you wrote about, so that would have been Christmas 1966. “Christmas Eve morning the system began as sleet and freezing rain. As the day progressed, it turned into snow. “I have a wonderful memory of sledding with friends on the little hill in front of our house Christmas Eve night. “The snowflakes were big by then and showing up so pretty as they passed the street lights. Christmas trees lit in every window. “It was awesome.” Awesome indeed! What a true appreciation for the beauty of nature’s frozen wonderland that Mr. Pridgen had as an eighth grader. Memories like that have got to be where Norman Rockwell got his inspiration. A phone call to Mrs. Joyce Stevenson, the wife of the late George Stevenson, confirmed Mr. Pridgen’s memories of the date and even produced an inch count and some additional dates. Mrs. Stevenson is carrying on her husband’s great legacy of keeping weather records and she definitely has his love for all things weather related. We learned a long time ago if you needed to know something about the weather in Henderson, Mr. Stevenson and now his wife were the resident experts. Officially, 1.7 inches of snow fell on Dec. 24, 1966, according to Mrs. Stevenson. The following Christmas Day received one-tenth of an inch of additional snow. That’s indeed a perfect Christmas. From her records, Mrs. Stevenson also pulled these additional Christmas Day snows for Henderson: one inch in 1880, one inch in 1903, one inch in 1947 and traces in 1970 and 1975. As for a Christmas Eve snow that may have left white stuff on the ground for Christmas morning, Mrs. Stevenson said 3.2 inches of snow fell on Dec. 24, 1939. There was a trace of snow on Christmas Eve in 1998 and snow flurries in 1999. So, if we do the math, that’s 23 years between the snows of 1880 and 1903, 36 years between 1903 and 1939, just 8 years for the next snow in 1947, and 19 years before the last one in 1966. Folks, that means it’s been 43 years since the last snow! Surely some of us will be inclined to blame this unfortunate circumstance on global warming, but we’ll save that for another editorial. We’ll simply conclude that the odds may not be good but they are getting better. It’s been a long time. We are now — officially — overdue! Could this be the year? Kids, make sure there’s a sled on that Christmas list. You might need it.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Here’s the real fat cat party One of the great frustrations of the libertarian-minded right is how Republicans got stuck being “the party of big business.” The quotation marks around the term are at least somewhat necessary, because in many respects, it’s not true. The notion that big business is “right wing” has always been more sloppy agitprop than serious analysis. It’s true that historically, big business is against socialism and communism -- and understandably so. Socialism and communism were once close to synonymous with expropriation of wealth and the nationalization of industry. What businessman or industrialist wouldn’t be against that? But many of those same industrialists saw nothing wrong with cutting deals with statist regimes. For example, the Swope Plan, put forward by Gerard Swope, president of General Electric, laid out the infrastructure for much of the early New Deal. Yet the debate is always framed as if the choice is between “government intervention” on the one hand and free-market capitalism on the other. From 30,000 feet, that division is fine with me. My objection is the glib and easy association of big business with the free-market guys. (Milton Friedman was no champion of public-private partnerships and industrial policy.) This identification allows

self-described progressive Democrats to run against big business when they are in fact in bed with the fat cats. For instance, the standard line from the Democrats is that the plutocrats and corporate mustachetwirlers oppose health care reform because, in President Obama’s words, they “profit financially Jonah or politiGoldberg cally from the status Tribune Media quo.” That Services sounds reasonable, and in some cases it is reasonable. But it makes it sound as if Obama is bravely battling “malefactors of great wealth.” But that’s not really how it works, as Timothy Carney documents in his powerful new book, “Obamanomics.” In 2008, Obama raked in more donations from the health sector than John McCain and the rest of the Republican field combined. Drug makers gave Obama $3.58 for every dollar they gave McCain. Pfizer gave to Obama at a 4-1 rate, as did the hospital and nursing home industries. In 2008, the insurance industry gave more money to House Democrats than House Republicans.

HMOs give to Democrats over Republicans by a margin of 60 to 40. So far, the health care industry has mostly been trying to cut insider deals with the government, not fighting to defend the status quo. Discussions between Big Pharma and the White House have been more like pillow talk than a shouting match. This pattern is hardly unique to health care. The U.S. Climate Action Partnership, led by GE, includes many other Fortune 500 companies, including Goldman Sachs -the company that has profited mightily from Obama’s brand of hope and change. CAP is an aggressive supporter of the Democrats’ climate change scheme. Why? Because GE and friends stand to make billions from carbon pricing, thanks largely to investments in technologies that cannot survive in a free market without massive subsidies from Uncle Sam. GE chief Jeffrey Immelt cheerleads big government as “an industry policy champion, a financier and a key partner.” Going back to U.S. Steel and the railroads, the story of big business in America is often as not the story of fat cats rigging the system. And the story of progressivism is the same tale. The New Deal codes were mostly written by big business to squeeze out smaller competitors. The progressives

fought for these reforms on the grounds that it’s easier to steer a few giant oxen than a thousand cats. But health care is the most troubling example of the trend. Washington Post columnist Robert Samuelson notes that while everyone has been debating the government takeover of health care, what’s really transpired is health care’s takeover of government -- thanks to what he calls the “medical industrial complex.” Already 1 in 4 federal outlays are for health care; government pays, directly or indirectly, for half of all health care costs; and the entire industry is heavily regulated. Obama’s answer to this state of affairs is more -- much more -- of the same, on the phantasmagorical grounds that it will cut costs. My biggest objection is not to what isn’t true about the claim that the right is the handmaiden to big business, it’s to what is true. Too many Republicans think being probusiness is the same as being pro-market. They defend the status quo against bad reforms and think they’ve defended economic freedom. The status quo stinks. And the sooner Republicans learn that, the sooner they’ll deserve to win again. You can write to Jonah Goldberg in care of this newspaper or by e-mail at JonahsColumn@aol.com.

Palinpalooza meets the media Palin-palooza rolls on. If you know what Washington’s Gridiron Club is all about, the idea of Sarah Palin addressing the group might sound pretty unlikely -- about as unlikely as, say, the National Organization for Women naming Tiger Woods their man of the year. That’s because the Gridiron Club is made up of journalists who cover Washington. Like other leading right-wingers, the former Alaska governor and Republican vice presidential candidate speaks of Washington and the media in the way doctors speak of swine flu. And yet, odd juxtapositions happen. Bob Dylan has released a Christmas album. Bill Cosby has released an album of “socially conscious hip-hop.” And Sarah Palin has addressed the Gridiron Club as an honored guest -- and she got laughs! That’s important because Washington journalists founded the Gridiron Club in America’s most serious town back in the 19th century for less-than-serious purposes: Two dinners, one in spring and one in summer, during which journalists make fun of the people they cover. Suffice it to say the humor of this club, founded with the Victorian-era slogan, “The Gridiron singes but does not burn,” belongs to a less raucously polarized era than this age of Glenn Beck, Jon Stewart and YouTube. Nev-

ertheless, it is a worthwhile achievement these days simply to bring members of opposing parties together peaceably under the same roof, even if it takes the lure of being able to ridicule the media to the faces of those of us who work in them. Palin not only interrupted her book tour, dubbed “Palinpalooza” by colorful headline writers, to speak to a roomful of those darned media, all gussied up in gowns and tuxedos but she black Clarence tie, but she held her Page own against this year’s Tribune media Democratic Services speaker, Washington liberal master of pithy one-liners, Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts. If Palin won the evening -- and even my own Hyde Park liberal wife believes she did -- it is largely because everyone expected Frank to be funny, which he was. Palin defied expectations. I am so accustomed to her attack-dog role in last year’s presidential campaign and the angry spirits of many of her supporters in the Tea Party wing of her party, that I was surprised to see how cheerfully and gracefully she can poke fun at herself without actually being

Tina Fey in disguise. A sampling: “It is good to be here and in front of this audience of leading journalists and intellectuals. Or, as I call it, a death panel.” “To paraphrase John F. Kennedy, this has to be the most extraordinary collection of people who have gathered to viciously attack me since the last corporate gathering at CBS.” “I’ve been touring this great, great land of ours over the last few weeks. I have to say, the view is much better from inside the bus, than under it!” I don’t know who writes her material now that she no longer has a governor’s office, Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign or many official friends in Washington’s party establishment to turn to for gags. But her timing was impeccable. She has a former sports announcer’s -- and former Miss Alaska finalist’s -- way of projecting her sincerity, a quality that the late George Burns famously called the secret to success: “Fake that and you’ve got it made.” Yet, as much as her politics are not mine, after chatting with her and her husband, good-natured former “First Dude” Todd Palin, I came away with a new fondness and respect for both of them. If they were faking their enjoyment at being there, they certainly sounded mighty sincere about it.

They were warm and friendly in the infectious way that helped Ronald Reagan rise from B-movie actor to California governor and president. The fact that Ms. Palin’s next book-signing date was in Iowa only enhanced talk of her possibly taking the presidential plunge. More bizarre things have happened, like Reagan’s rise. Although I still think Palin will use her new fame and political pull to influence politics from some television talk show studio somewhere, her potential in politics awaits one something she has not shown us: A big speech. Reagan polished his skills, ideas and delivery as a campaigner for Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater, the Republican presidential nominee in 1964, and as a broadcast commentator before he ran for office. Then-Sen. Barack Obama memorably leaped to the national stage with his 2004 Democratic National Convention speech. Palin has yet to deliver a similarly original vision on such a grand scale. But she’s young. At this moment, she excites more voters than other known Republican hopefuls do, even if polls show quite a few more voters who love her than say they will vote for her. 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.

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