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Inside Today SATURDAY, December 26, 2009
Volume XCV, No. 302
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Trio of veterans undecided on 2010 run
Passenger helps subdue man Granville commissioners mull re-election campaigns as primaries near in failed attack Attempt to blow up plane believed to have al-Qaida link By JIM IRWIN, LARA JAKES and LARRY MARGASAK Associated Press Writers
DETROIT (AP) — A Northwest Airlines passenger from Nigeria, who said he was acting on al-Qaida’s instructions, set off an explosive device Friday in a failed terrorist attack on the plane as it was landing in Detroit, federal officials said. Flight 253 with 278 passengers aboard was 20 minutes from the airport when it sounded like a firecracker had exploded, witnesses said. One passenger jumped over others and tried to subdue the man. Shortly afterward, the suspect was taken to a front row seat with his pants cut off and his legs burned. The White House said it believed it was an attempted act of terrorism and stricter security measures were quickly imposed on airline travel, but were not specified. Law enforcement officials identified the suspect as Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab. Others had slightly different spellings. One law enforcement source said the man claimed to have been instructed by al-Qaida to detonate the plane over U.S. soil. “It sounded like a firecracker in a pillowcase,” said Peter Smith, a passenger from the Netherlands. “First there was a pop, and Please see TERRORIST, page 3A
Index Our Hometown . . . . . 2A Business & Farm. . . . 5A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . 8A Light Side . . . . . . . . . 9A Sports. . . . . . . . . . 1-3B Faith. . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4C Comics . . . . . . . . . 5-6C Classifieds. . . . . . . 7-8C
Weather Today Partly cloudy
High: 57 Low: 30
Sunday Mostly sunny
High: 49 Low: 23
Details, 3A
Deaths Dabney Orlanda Small, 45 Henderson Irvin U. Nutt Jr., 82 Saimaya William, 6 months Richmond, Va. James M. Terry, 59 Stem Helen R.S. Martine, 79
By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer
Three Granville County commissioners up for re-election are undecided about whether they will seek another four-year term. “I can’t answer your question right now because I’ve got a lot of soul searching to do,” James Lumpkins said when asked by the newspaper, noting his nearly three decades of public service in the county. “I’m giving it a lot of
deep considhe is in the eration.” consider“By midation stage, January but does not I will say have an estiyes or no,” mated time Lumpkins when he will said. make his Alligood Averette Lumpkins Ron Aldecision. ligood told the newspaper that he The political party primaries will make his decision sometime are May 4, with the general electhe latter part of next month. tion to be Nov. 2. The opening for The commission’s senior member, filing by candidates seeking to Pete Averette, told the newspaper enter the primaries is noon Feb. 8,
with the qualifying deadline being noon Feb. 26. Those seeking to campaign as unaffiliated candidates must file a petition at or before noon on the last Friday in June preceding the general election. Granville County’s seven commissioners are all Democrats who serve staggered terms. Each represents a district. Averette, 77, serves District 6,
Please see TRIO, page 3A
Sheriff to seek full term Wilkins took top post when Smith retired By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer Submitted photo
Santa’s helpers at the Vance County Sheriff’s Office, including, from left, Major Charles Sparrow, Karen Callahan, Pat Ayscue, Captain James Baines and Sheriff Peter White gave away over 70 coats for Christmas. Names were provided by the Department of Social Services. The sheriff and staff delivered coats if families couldn’t pick them up.
Friends help Santa at Christmas time By DISPATCH STAFF
The Henderson Police Department for the past three years has distributed Christmas presents and clothing to children who are less fortunate. With the assistance of local businesses and the HPD Power Shift, the department was able to provide Christmas this year for 26 children ranging in age from two months to 17 years. The gifts included MP3 players, skates, bicycles, clothing and various toys. Officers of the Power Shift went to the parents of the children to find out what each needed. The gifts were delivered to children’s homes as gifts from Santa.
Submitted photo
Officer Jessica West of the Henderson Police Department delivers Christmas presents to less fortunate children.
Winter coats for 50 students in Warren By DAVID IRVINE Daily Dispatch Writer
WARRENTON — Fifty students in Warren County Schools will be a little warmer this winter, thanks to a community effort sponsored by the Warren County Training School/North Warren High School Alumni & Friends Association. The Alumni Association had the cooperation of Warren County Memorial Library to place a gift tree in the library. Hanging on the tree were cards with the vital statistics of 50 students who had been identified by school staff members
as in need of winter coats. The students were not identified by name. Citizens used the cards to buy coats that were appropriate in terms of age, gender and size. The project resulted in 6o donated coats. In addition, local merchants, businesses and individuals donated $400. After making sure that each of the 50 students had received a coat, the 10 remaining coats were placed in a coat closet until additional needs are identified. WCTS/NWHS&F Association President Thomas A. Harris expressed thanks for newspaper coverage in the Daily Dispatch
and Warren Record. In addition, “Radio station WARR in Warrenton gave us a week of announcing the event on the air,” he added. “The Alumni Association wishes to thank each and every one who donated, participated and helped in any way whatsoever,” Harris continued. “This is just another way of giving back to the community that did so very much for so many of us as we were growing up in Warren County, and getting a quality education that stands tall today.” Contact the writer at dirvine@hendersondispatch.com.
OXFORD — Sheriff Brin Wilkins said he is seeking election to a full four-year term because “I love my job and I love serving the people of Granville County.” Wilkins, 49, a Democrat, has been with the Sheriff’s Department since 1989. Wilkins was chief deputy sheriff from 2002 until being sworn in July 1 as the county’s Wilkins top law enforcement officer, replacing the retiring David Smith. Smith joined the department in 1972 and had been the county’s top law enforcement officer since 1998. Smith announced his retirement May 4 in a letter to the County Commission and the commissioners later approved his recommendation that he be replaced by Wilkins. And Wilkins named Smith an auxiliary deputy. The primary election is set for May 4, with the general election to be Nov. 2. Wilkins is a life-long farmer and has served as director of Granville County Emergency Medical Services. Wilkins was elected county coroner in 1998. He served until 2002, when he and the County Commission successfully asked the General Assembly to abolish the coroner position because the posiPlease see SHERIFF, page 3A
Salvation Army major shot in front of three children By TOM PARSONS Associated Press Writer
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Obituaries, 4A A Salvation Army worker was shot and killed Christmas Eve in front of his three young children by a man who attempted to rob him outside the charity’s community center in North Little Rock, a
Salvation Army official said Friday. North Little Rock police said they were looking for the two men who accosted Salvation Army Maj. Philip Wise outside the community center about 4 p.m. Thursday. No arrests have been made. Wise, 40, had gone to the community center with
his children to pick up his wife — also a Salvation Army major — to drive to his mother’s home in West Virginia, said Maj. Harvey Johnson, area commander of Salvation Army. As Wise neared the side door, two men approached. Both men were carrying hand guns, police said. One demanded money
and shot Wise, Pulaski County Coroner Garland Camper told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Wise’s wife, Cindy, was inside the center and called 911. Blood stained the sidewalk outside the center Friday. The Wises had just adopted their children — ages 4, 6 and 8 — last
year, Johnson said. The three were siblings who came from an abusive family. They were receiving counseling after their father’s death, he said. Wise had worked for three years in Baring Cross, a low-income neighborhood troubled by gangs Please see SALVATION, page 4A