CMYK Oxford keeping eye on drinking water
The rock chunkers emerge
Southern wrestling pinned by Orange
Local & State, Page 8A
Opinion, Page 10A
Sports, Page 1B THURSDAY, December 17, 2009
Volume XCV, No. 295
(252) 436-2700
www.hendersondispatch.com
Utilities rate hikes advance
Arrests on drugs charges By DISPATCH STAFF
The Vance County Sheriff’s Office has arrested three men on drugs charges in two separate incidents. Two men were arrested in their home at 310 Yancey Lane after investigators served a search warrant. Members of the Vice/ Narcotics Unit with the Vance County Sheriff’s Office charged Rufus Kenneth Williams, 37, and Christopher Williams, 49, with: • Felonious possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine. • Feloniously maintaining a dwelling for keeping and selling cocaine. • Possession of drug paraphernalia. The younger defendant was also accused of possession of marijuana. Bond for each was set at $20,000. A preliminary hearing in the case was scheduled to be held Dec. 28 in Vance County District Court. Kasey Hicks, 24, of 1016 Lehman St. was arrested and charged with: • Felony possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine, three counts. • Felony possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver ecstasy, two counts. • Felony maintaining a vehicle and dwelling for keeping and selling cocaine and ecstasy, four counts. • Felony possession of cocaine, two counts. • Felony manufacture of cocaine. • Felony possession of ecstasy. Please see ARRESTS, page 3A
Index Our Hometown . . . . . 2A Business & Farm. . . . 5A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . 10A Light Side . . . . . . . . 11A Sports. . . . . . . . . . 1-4B Comics . . . . . . . . . . . 5B Classifieds. . . . . . . 6-8B
Weather Today Sunny day
High: 44 Low: 27
Friday Mostly cloudy
Panel recommends 17 percent more for sewer, five for water
Details, 3A
Deaths Creedmoor Dorcas H. Ray, 91 Henderson Junious A. Edwards, 48 Ruben Gilliam, 73 Raymond “Joe” Lilley, 58 Winifred T. Williams, 94
Obituaries, 4A
Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE
Ready by fall
Last year, Fleming said, his office processed about $100,000 in reservations on the first working day in January. “It’s been a transition for us, the park staff, and for the users,” he added. “A lot of folks know that they can make reservations closer to the arrival date.” In the past, reservations had to be made at least seven days in advance. “Now that is only 48 hours in advance,” Fleming said. “Early in the week, when they realize they want to go camping for that weekend, they can just call ahead and get a site.” In the past, too, he said, the local park office would have to have the check in hand in order to make a reservation. Now, campPlease see PARK, page 9A
Please see UTILITIES, page 8A
Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE
Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE
Large containers that will hold ice for the cooling system for the new elementary school sit on a concrete pad at the construction site Wednesday afternoon. Machines at night will make ice which will be stored in these containers for use during the day when water will be pumped through the containers and chilled as a part of the air conditioning system. According to Facilities Director Claiborne Woods, the weather would not hinder construction now that the windows were starting to be installed.
From left, board member Robert Duke, facilities director Claiborne Woods, board member Mary Cobbs, Superintendent Norm Shearin and board member Emeron Cash stand outside the new elementary school looking at the site plans during a tour of the outside of the facility Wednesday afternoon. Also present for the tour were board member Ronald Kinsley, board chair Margaret Ellis, finance director Steve Graham and public information officer Terri Hedrick.
New system makes park visits easier Reservations can be made only 48 hours in advance By DISPATCH STAFF
With more than half of North Carolina’s state park campsites already booked through 2010, the new revamped Internet-based registration system and call center appear to have had a positive impact on Kerr Lake bookings in addition to the state’s 37 other parks and recreation areas. “Since they have started, 3,639 reservations have been taken,” Bryce Fleming, park superintendent for the Kerr Lake State Recreation Area, said of the numbers for the seven campgrounds in our area. “So far, there are 13,542 nights that have been reserved through the system.” The new procedures also have brought to an end the annual early-January lines for selecting a
campsite at Kerr Lake. “We will not be holding the traditional registration day on the first working day of the new year,” Fleming added. Fleming Under the previous system, campers had to wait until the first of January to make any reservations for the year, meaning some lines at the park offices as campers scrambled to grab their favorite spots. The new system went into operation in April, Fleming said. The 3,639 reservations also cover picnic shelter and community building rentals, but the majority of the figures are for campgrounds.
By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer
OXFORD — A majority of the City Commission’s Public Works Committee on Wednesday agreed to recommend the full commission vote Jan. 12 to require rate payers to pay 17 percent more in sewer fees and five percent more in water fees, starting July 1. The utilities rate hike is recommended in a $27,081 study by Raftelis Financial Consultants of Charlotte. And Cantley, a holdover commissioner who is the committee’s new chairman, said while he considers himself “a more conservative person” on the commission, he feels strongly about calling for going up on the rate because of decreased system usage and a need to rehabilitate sewer lines. For the past three fiscal years, water sales have gone down 115.1 million gallons, with a resulting decline of $472,000 in revenue, Cantley said. And for the past three fiscal years, sewage treatment has gone down by 37.3 million gallons, with a resulting decline of $188,000 in revenue, Cantley said. Additionally, Raftelis projects a $245,000 deficit for Fiscal 20102011 because the wastewater volume charge is insufficient. Holdover Commissioner Bob Williford, who sat in on the committee meeting, asked for an explanation for the decreases. City Public Works Director Larry Thomas cited residents conserving water in response to droughts as one reason. “The industries cut back immediately during the recession,” Thomas added. “We saw a big drop on our outside sales.” The latter was a reference to what longtime observers call gentlemen’s agreements in which industries are just outside the municipal limits and are exempt from paying municipal taxes in exchange for providing jobs locally. Except for Dill Air Controls, the outside industries voluntarily pay fees to receive Oxford fire and police protection. Another reason for Cantley’s call for the rate hike is the city
The yet-unnamed elementary school under construction off Garrett Road will welcome students next fall. Wednesday, the $13 million, 95,000-square-foot project welcomed members of the Vance County Board of Education for a tour. Greeting visitors are large tracks of mud that lead to a corridor under construction between two buildings at the construction site.
New Oxford commissioners ready for new challenges By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer
High: 43 Low: 31
50 cents
OXFORD — Thanks was the word from the four new City Commissioners moments after they were sworn in for a four-year term. While the newcomers as a whole thanked their respective family members and the electorate, Calvin “C.J.” Harris and Jackie Sergent included thanks to God in their opening statements and Danny Currin particularly thanked his wife, Ginnie. Ron Bullock included thanks to the current and the now-former commis-
sioners, telling them, “You’ve served Oxford well.” Bullock added that he can only hope to follow their leadership and example and that he hoped he could depend on them for guidance. The names of Bullock, Danny Currin, Harris and Sergent are now part of the long table in the commission meeting room of City Hall with re-elected Mayor Al Woodlief and with Mayor Pro Tem Howard Herring and Commissioners Walter Cantley and Bob Williford. Oxford’s mayor serves Please see OXFORD, page 4A
Daily Dispatch/ASHLEY STEVEN AYSCUE
Welcome from Santa Santa and Mrs. Claus welcome visitors to this house on Belle Street Tuesday night.