The Daily Dispatch - Tuesday, December 29, 2009 by The Daily Dispatch

CMYK Community Band gets standing ‘O’

President vows to thwart terrorists

Northern Vance suffers first loss

Our Hometown, Page 2A

Nation/World, Page 7A

Sports, Page 1B TUESDAY, December 29, 2009

Volume XCV, No. 303

(252) 436-2700

Warren EDC mum on new director By DAVID IRVINE Daily Dispatch Writer

WARRENTON – The Warren County Economic Development Commission met on Monday to consider candidates for the position of executive director of economic development for the county. After calling the meeting to order and determining that a quorum was present, Chairman Ernest Fleming accepted a motion to go into closed session to discuss personnel matters. When the commission returned to open session, a motion was made to recommend “the candidate we agreed on” to the Warren County Board of Commissioners to be the county’s new executive director of economic development. The Daily Dispatch requested the name of the person recommended and was told that the commission had decided not to make it public until it is presented to the county commissioners since they, not the EDC, have the hiring authority. The commission’s recommendation will be presented to the Warren County Board of Commissioners at the monthly meeting on Jan. 4. The executive director’s position has been empty since January 2009 when John Church left to take a similar post in FuquayVarina. Church had been director for four years. Peggy Richardson, a longtime EDC employee, has served as interim director since Church’s departure. Contact the writer at dirvine@hendersondispatch.com.

www.hendersondispatch.com

By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer

Dispatch Photo/AL WHELESS

Army PFC Ashley Benson, a 2009 Western Vance High School graduate fresh from basic training and cooking school, poses with a poster at the Armed Forces recruiting station on Beckford Drive.

Western Vance graduate turns life around, prepares for assignment in Afghanistan By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer

Back with her family in Henderson while on Christmas leave from the U.S. Army, PFC Ashley Benson described herself as bored. “I’m ready to go,” said the 2009 Western Vance High School graduate who has been doing some hometown recruiting there for Uncle Sam, as well as at Southern Vance and Northern Vance. “When I wake up real early in the morning, everybody is sleeping,” Benson lamented Monday during an interview. “There’s no soldiers running downstairs, breaking their necks to get to formation,” she explained while sitting in

one of the Armed Services Recruiting offices on Beckford Drive. “When I was in basic and in AIT (Advanced Infantry Training), the sergeants were always saying to me: ‘Clean your weapon. Clean your weapon,’” Benson recalled. “Now I miss cleaning my weapon. There’s nothing to do.” That could soon change, since she plans to report to her next military home — Fort Knox, Ky. — on Jan. 5. Trained as a cook, it’s possible that Benson could be cranking out biscuits in Afghanistan as early as March or April if her unit — whichever one that turns out to be — is scheduled to go. At this point, however, her immediate future in

uniform is only cut in “jello.” Asked about the prospect of being in a war-torn neighborhood where some of the people have guns and are less than friendly, Benson replied: “I have fear of the unknown, but I’m not scared or terrified because I trust the training I’ve had.” Her mother, her two sisters and her brother are glad Benson joined the Army, but they’re also worried about Afghanistan. When Benson showed up in uniform at Southern Vance — where she got into a lot of fights and was expelled before later enrolling at Western Vance — some of the students she had left behind were blown away by what they saw and heard. Please see SERVE, page 3A

Luke Horton, former editor of the DeSoto Times-Tribune newspaper in Mississippi, has been named editor of The Daily Dispatch. Horton, an award-winning writer and photographer, previously served as news editor of the Natchez Democrat and Star-Herald newspapers in Mississippi. The Decatur, Miss., native, is a graduate of Mississippi State University. He and wife Lauren are the parents of a 3-year-old

son, Ethan, and 7-monthold daughter, Beverly. The family resides in Henderson. “It’s a privilege to work at a community newspaper with such a rich history,” Horton said about assuming his new role. “I look forward to getting to know and working with people in the community.” Horton comes to Henderson from a family-owned 12,000-circulation thriceweekly newspaper, noted James Edwards, Daily

Index

Deaths

Our Hometown . . . . . 2A Obituaries . . . . . . 4A, 5A Business . . . . . . . . . . 6A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . 8A Light Side . . . . . . . . . 9A Sports. . . . . . . . . 1B-4B Comics . . . . . . . . . . . 5B Classifieds. . . . . . 6B-8B

Creedmoor Ronald Anderson Jr., 45 Franklinton Ferebee G. Preddy, 80 Henderson Boyd C. Edwards Jr., 77 Ernest L. Glasscock, 74 Minden, La. Ruth L. King, 89 Oxford Claire G. Hester, 96 Joe D. Hunt, 91 James C. Minor, 75 William Pettiford George Royster Jr., 74 Kenneth S. Washington, 56 Stem Wayne H. Frazier, 61 Virginia James M. Miles, 59 Wilson Johnny Blackwell, 73

Henderson man charged with stealing backhoe

Weather Today Sunny

High: 41 Low: 21

Wednesday Partly Cloudy

High: 42 Low: 33

Details, 3A

50 cents

Police probe A call to ‘serve’ fatal shooting in Granville

Horton assumes duties as editor of Dispatch

Luke Horton

A Henderson man who has been charged by Raleigh police with stealing an $80,000 backhoe has faced similar charges in Vance County. Christopher Neil Clopton, 43, of 1281 Cheatham Mabry Road, was arrested and charged with one count of felony larceny, WRAL-TV and The News & Observer reported today. He is accused of stealing the Caterpillar backhoe from the S.T. Wooten Construction Company on Saturday. Clopton and two others Obituaries, 4A were charged in August 2006 with stealing about $250,000 worth of equipment and materials from a number of new construction sites in Vance, Granville and Wake counties over a period of three months. Backhoes worth $50,000 each

Dispatch publisher, in making the announcement on Monday. “Horton has been praised by those with whom he worked for understanding what readers want and what readers need from their newspaper and giving that to them,” Edwards said. “He has a real love for community journalism that will benefit our readers and our community.”

BUTNER — Authorities are continuing to investigate a weekend shooting that claimed the life of a 45-year-old man at a restaurant parking lot and involved two federal correctional officers. Ronald Dewey Anderson Jr. was fatally struck by the gunfire after an altercation started inside the Taste of Fuji Japanese Grill off the Interstate 85/N.C. 56 interchange. The pair of correctional officers, Gwynn Basinger, 36, and Uriah Metcalf, 30, were leaving the restaurant and were followed by Anderson and another man, Warren Owen, 44, Butner Public Safety said. The gunfire subsequently started, according to law enforcement. No one has been charged with Anderson’s death, but Owen is charged with carrying a concealed weapon. Dispatch Photo/William F. West Butner Public Flowers mark where Ronald Dewey AnderSafety Capt. son Jr. died in a shooting Sunday morning Donna Grissom outside the Taste of Fuji Japanese Grill off told the newsthe Interstate 85/N.C. 56 interchange. paper Monday afternoon that results of the probe would be turned over to District Attorney Sam Currin’s office, which will decide whether there would be additional charges. Grissom said she could not go into details, including about how many times Anderson was shot and in what parts of the body he was hit. “We’re following all the leads,” Grissom said. Owen told television station WRAL for a story Monday evening that Anderson loved his wife, two daughters and stepson, would never hurt anyone and saved a friend’s life with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). “He was just a great, all-around person,” Owen said. The station said Owen and other witnesses the station tried to speak with were asked by law enforcement not to discuss specifics. “All I know is that I just saw the gunfire and I wanted them to stop firing,” Owen said. Please see POLICE PROBE, page 3A

Crawford will seek another term in 2010 By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer

OXFORD — State Rep. Jim Crawford is seeking rePlease see EDITOR, page 3A election to a two-year term because of his seniority in Raleigh. Crawford, 72, D-Granville, who is a businessman in Henderson, serves as one of the chairs of the powerful House Appropriations along with siding, lumber, Committee. “They’re eight, appliances, shingles, nail guns, windows and doors were but I’m the most experienced among the stolen items, most chair,” Crawford said. “I’m just in a real good poof which were recovered. sition to help our folks. And Vance County detectives to tell you the truth, I’m old said that at the time Clopton enough to quit,” Crawford worked as a carpenter for said, laughing at his latter Prestigious Housing. remark. Triangle media reports “But, I feel like the folks indicated Clopton was held in have elected me and kept the Wake County jail Sunday me there and got me to this under a $50,000 bond awaitposition. And I have a little ing a court appearance on obligation to the people,” Monday. The victims in 2006 Crawford said. included Kimball Roofing, The primary election is First Home Builders and set for May 4, with the genBuilder Tony Hirst in Vance County, Belmonte Business in eral election to be Nov. 2. Crawford, a former Navy Oxford, Denmark Construclieutenant, served on the Oxtion Co. in Youngsville. ford City Commission from 1965-69. Send comments on this In 1982, Crawford won report to news@hendersondiselection to the state House. patch.com.

Five years later, he announced his candidacy for the state’s No. 2 elected position, but he withdrew Crawford from the contest in early 1988 for lack of funds. Although Crawford pulled out of running for lieutenant governor, he did so in time to qualify to seek re-election to the state House. In 1992, Crawford again announced his candidacy for lieutenant governor, but Democrat Dennis Wicker would win and would be reelected in 1996. Out of office, Wicker has been perhaps better known as an at-times guest on the weekly political television talk show NC Spin. Crawford’s House seat was won in 1992 by Oxford native Richard Moore. In 1994, the telegenic Moore made an unsuccessful run for Congress, opening the door for Crawford to win election back to the state House. Please see CRAWFORD, page 3A

The Daily Dispatch

Our Hometown

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Mark It Down Thursday Stroke support group — The Maria Parham Medical Center Stroke Support Group will meet from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Center for Rehab Conference Room of the Brodie Waddill Building at Maria Parham Medical Center. The group follows the National Stroke Association Discovery Circles program, a nationally recognized stroke support group format. Stroke survivors, families, friends and caregivers are invited to attend. Please contact Liz Karan at 436-1604 with any questions.

FGV Smart Start can offer services that help businesses By Gary Daeke FGV Smart Start

Helping employees find dependable, quality child care can help be a great benefit to employers. Did you know that: • Eighty-five percent of employers report that providing child-care services improved employee recruitment. • Almost two-thirds of employers found that providing child-care services reduced turnover. Depending on the type of child-care program offered, businesses reduced turnover by 37 to 60 percent. • Fifty-four percent of employers report that child-care services had a positive impact on employee absenteeism, reducing missed workdays by as much as 20 to 30 percent. • Forty-nine percent of employers report that childcare services had helped boost employee productivity. (From the Child Care Partnership Project, a multi-year effort funded by the Child Care Bureau, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.) These statistics show that when employers work with their employees to find dependable, quality child care, everyone benefits. Since most businesses cannot provide on-site child care, they can use available local resources to assist their employees find the right child-care situation. That is why FGV Smart Start offers the Child Care Resource and Referral Program and the Child Care Subsidy Program. The Child Care Resource and Referral Program has developed a database that includes all of the licensed child-care providers in Vance, Granville and Franklin counties. Any parent can call and discuss individual child-care needs with the referral specialist and find just the right

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place for his/her child. The referral specialist will ask the parent what he/she needs in child care and query the database for those needs. In the best case, a parent may get several child-care options that meet their needs. From there, they are given the phone numbers of those providers and encouraged to make a call and a visit to those places for the best fit for their child. For more information about the Child Care Resource and Referral Program or for assistance with a referral, call (252) 433-6387, or toll free at 1-888-244-2480. The Child Care Subsidy Program provides monetary assistance for those families who need assistance paying for child care. Many families are paying 25 percent of their after-tax income for childcare expenses. The program is income-based, and parents must be working or going to school. Parents need to fill out an application to see if they qualify for this service. Like most of the partnership’s programs, the subsidy program is contracted with a local agency to provide the service. The subsidy program is administered through each county’s Department of Social Services. To find out if you qualify for the subsidy program, call the Franklin County Department of Social Services at (919) 496-5721; the Granville County Department of Social Services at (919) 693-1511; or the Vance County Department of Social Services at (252) 492-5001. Employers who are interested in setting up a program for their businesses or a presentation for their staff or employees should call FGV Smart Start at (252) 4339110, ext 227. For more information about FGV Smart Start and other programs for families with young children, go to www.fgvpartnership.org.

trash/recyling pick-up

The City of Henderson has announced changes to its trash/recycling pick-up schedule due to the Jan. 1 New Year’s holiday. Trash that is normally collected on Fridays will be collected on Thursday this week. Recyclables that are normally collected on Friday will be

collected on Thursday this week as well. Loose leaf pick-up will be scheduled for Saturday this week. For more information, call the Public Works Administrative Secretary Shay Bennett at (252) 431-6115 or Public Works Director Linda Leyen at (252) 431-6118.

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Michael Stephenson (center) and members of the Vance-Granville Community Band receive a standing ovation at the conclusion of the band’s holiday concert on Dec. 13.

VGCC Community Band plays holiday favorites The Vance-Granville Community Band held its second annual Holiday Concert on Dec. 13 in the Civic Center on the college’s main campus in Vance County. VGCC music instructor Michael Stephenson serves as director of the band. The program included many favorite holiday selections, including “Sleigh Ride” by Leroy Anderson, the overture from “The

Messiah” by Handel, and several Christmas medleys. J.F. Webb High School band director Clint McCaskill, who plays clarinet in the band, stepped up to conduct a piece he wrote, “Tango of the Bells,” a Latin-inspired variation on “Carol of the Bells.” The same tune was heard at another point during the concert, when three VGCC music performance scholarship students —

Mike Allen of Henderson, Will Crews of Oxford and Nick Horvath of Creedmoor — performed their own arrangement of “Carol of the Bells” for guitar, bass and drums. The band took a break for a special story time for young children. Mike Ellis, Ph.D., dean of Arts and Sciences for VGCC and a trumpeter in the band, read the story of “The Nutcracker” to

VGCC holds College Day for transfer students Vance-Granville Community College hosted representatives from fouryear colleges and universities on Nov. 20 in Building 6 on its main campus. The event was VGCC’s annual College Day, in which students obtain important information about transfer requirements, financial aid and scholarships. VGCC students browsed through displays and talked with representatives from 15 four-year schools, while picking up college applications and catalogs. Most of the colleges and universities were from North Carolina. College Day is organized by the VGCC counseling services department. Each year, large numbers of students start their higher education at VGCC before transferring to four-year universities and colleges. The VGCC college transfer program provides students with the first two years of a B.A. or B.S.

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VGCC students met with representatives of four-year schools at College Day on Nov. 20. Student Shelonda White of Oxford, center, learns more about Meredith College. degree program, including over 80 transferable freshman and sophomore level courses. A 2009 statewide report showed that these students transferring to a four-year state university from Vance-Granville continue to perform as well as students who started at the public universities as freshmen.

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the children in attendance. Formed in 2008, the community band is a combination of VGCC students and interested citizens. All four counties of the VGCC service area (Vance, Granville, Warren and Franklin) are represented in the band, which has grown to approximately 50 members. For more information, call Michael Stephenson at (252) 738-3346.

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From Page One

The Daily Dispatch

FIVE-DAY FORECAST FOR HENDERSON TODAY

TONIGHT

WEDNESDAY

Sunny

Clear

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THURSDAY

FRIDAY

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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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Normal High . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Normal Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Record High . . . . . . . . .74 in 2008 Record Low . . . . . . . . .14 in 1951

.7:24 .5:08 .2:55 .5:12 .7:24 .5:08 .3:58 .6:18

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

Moon Phases

Precipitation Yesterday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0.00" Month to date . . . . . . . . . . . .5.91" Normal month to date . . . . .2.71" Year to date . . . . . . . . . . . . .40.25" Normal year to date . . . . . .42.72"

Full 12/31

New 1/15

Last 1/7

First 1/23

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 240 220.7 +0.3 Neuse Falls 264 255.0 -0.2

24-Hr. Capacity Yest. Change 203 198.9 -1.3 320 308.4 +1.5

Regional Weather Henderson 41/21

Winston-Salem Durham 43/24 42/23 Asheville 39/22

Rocky Mt. 43/23

Greensboro 42/23 Raleigh 43/24 Charlotte 46/24

Fayetteville 47/25

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

Cape Hatteras 43/32

Wilmington 47/27

Regional Cities Hi/Lo Wx Hi/Lo Wx City

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

39/22 32/21 42/22 43/23 47/27 43/20 43/24 42/24 37/17 47/25 44/26 42/23 43/22 46/24 41/22

43/23 46/24 44/23 47/25 48/27 44/30 41/31 44/22 43/24 40/22 41/22 43/23 45/24 47/27 42/23

42/30 38/28 42/31 44/33 49/35 41/30 44/33 42/35 46/27 48/35 47/35 42/30 45/37 48/41 42/29

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

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42/30 48/38 46/37 47/36 50/42 50/43 41/41 46/38 44/33 40/30 44/33 45/33 45/33 51/42 41/30

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

Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Map 110s 100s 90s 80s 70s 60s 50s 40s 30s 20s 10s 0s

said he brings a businessmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective to being a lawmaker. He chairs the Small Business Caucus in the General Assembly and additionally is serving on a House committee trying to find ways to help small business grow in North Carolina. While Crawford said the General Assembly will not go back into ses-

â&#x20AC;&#x153;They were saying â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Wow! If Ashley did it, I could do it.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; I had the worst attitude, ever, at Southern Vance,â&#x20AC;? she said. It was at Western Vance that Benson found what she called â&#x20AC;&#x153;a family.â&#x20AC;? She managed to settle down, with the help of her teachers, and became president of her senior class. So far, according to Benson, she has found both

friends and mentors where she has been stationed. Cooking school at Fort Lee, Va., had her sometimes getting up at 2:30 a.m., so she and others could come up with cinnamon rolls, pancakes, sausage, waffles and other delicacies before the breakfast crowd of 200 or so sat down in the mess hall. Her favorite thing to make?

Owen said that, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just want to see justice doneâ&#x20AC;? and that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to let the law run its course and do what they have to do.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just a tragic thing and it should have never happened. And it happened to one of the most kind human beings Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever met in my life,â&#x20AC;? Owen said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I wish it would have been me instead of him,â&#x20AC;? Owen added.

Basinger and Metcalf were not on duty at the time of the shooting. Authorities have been quoted as saying the four knew each other as Taste of Fuji customers. Authorities received the call at 12:25 a.m. The restaurant is at the corner of N.C. 56 and West Lyon Station Road. Grissom told the newspaper that Butner Public Safety previously has had

EDITOR, from page 1A While at the TimesTribune, Horton guided his staff to 16 awards at the Mississippi press convention, including first-place awards in design, front page, special sections, graphics and lifestyles. He succeeds Glenn Craven who was editor

of the Dispatch from the year 2000 until this past November. Horton also previously worked as a Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Protective Services caseworker in Houston, Texas, and served as a missionary in Chicago and South Africa.

Cold Front

Stationary Front

Warm Front

Low Pressure

High Pressure

Yesterdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Extremes High: 79Â° in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Low: -19Â° in Laramie, Wyo.

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death of Jimmy Champion after an Aug. 20 dispute east of Stem. The other shooting, which remains unsolved, happened Nov. 29 in Oxfordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s police jurisdiction and claimed the life of Frank Branch.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;My hands were all wrinkly from doing dishes.â&#x20AC;? Benson was looking on the bright side when it came to maybe ending up in Afghanistan. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In a way, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m excited to leave the country. So far, the furthest Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve traveled is New Jersey.â&#x20AC;?

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

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Strawberry cheesecake.â&#x20AC;? To satisfy the masses, the confection was created on many 18-inch-by-24inch metal trays. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They were huge,â&#x20AC;? Benson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cooking at home was nothing like it.â&#x20AC;? Her least happy experience was probably â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sanitation,â&#x20AC;? which used to be known as KP (Kitchen Patrol).

Contact the writer at bwest@hendersondispatch. com.

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In Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edition, The Daily Dispatch incorrectly spelled the name of Philo White Road in the headline to the lead story on page 1A. We regret the error.

Oversight Committee. In the House, he is vice chair of the Transportation Committee. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Well, I try not to talk about it too much because it generates too much interest,â&#x20AC;? Crawford quipped when talking about his duties.

POLICE PROBE, from page 1A

Correction H

sion until after the May primary, a variety of state government-related work keeps him regularly going to Raleigh. He is one of the House leaders of a House and Senate audit committee. In addition, serves on both the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations and serves on the Joint Legislative Transportation

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Moore at the start of this decade won election as state treasurer. He unsuccessfully sought the 2008 Democratic nomination to succeed the term-limited Gov. Mike Easley. Crawford presently represents House District 32, which covers all of Granville County and the southern part of Vance County. Additionally, Crawford

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Today

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Xxxxxxday, Xxxxxx XX, 200X

Deaths Johnny Blackwell

Ernest L. Glasscock

Ruth L. King

April 2, 1936 — December 27, 2009 Johnny Thomas Blackwell, 73, of Sims, died Sunday. Funeral services will be conducted 11 a.m. Wednesday at Joyner’s Funeral Home, 4100 Raleigh Road Parkway. Internment will follow in Evergreen Memorial Park. Chaplin Phil Baucom will officiate. Mr. Blackwell was employed by Export Leaf Tobacco Co. for 31 years. He was a member of Wilson Masonic Lodge #117, and Wilson Sudan Shrine. The family will receive friends Noon to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at 7116 Rock Ridge Sims Road, Sims. Mr. Blackwell is survived by his wife, Sue G. Blackwell, of the home; daughter, Beth Blackwell Habig, and husband, Mike, of Cary; son, Glenn Thomas Blackwell, and wife, Susan, of Sims; sister, Jayne Howard of Oxford; brother, Nelson “Buddy” Blackwell, and wife, Judy, of Oxford; three granddaughters, Shelby Blackwell, Kaitlyn Blackwell, and Morgan Habig; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, William Roy and Mariah Rogers Blackwell. Memorials in his memory are preferred and may be directed to American Lung Association, 3801 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 190, Raleigh, N.C. 27607; or Duke Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Suite 7453, Duke University Hospital (North), Box 3845 DUMC, Durham, N.C. 27710. Condolences may be directed to www.joyners.net.

HENDERSON — Ernest Lee Glasscock, age 74, a resident of Vance County, died Dec. 26, 2009, at Maria Parham Medical Center. He was a native of Halifax County, Va., and was the son of the late John and Janie Hatchell Glassock. Mr. Glasscock was a member of Eastside Baptist Church. Memorial services were held Monday, Dec. 28, 2009, at 3 p.m. in the chapel of Gentry-Newell and Vaughan Funeral Home by the Rev. Aubrey Florence. Surviving are his wife, Nanie Travis Glassock of the home; four daughters, Glenda Layton of Greensboro, Brenda G. Watkins and Patsy G. Dean, both of Henderson, and Tammy G. Pierce of Missouri; a son, Ernest B. Glasscock of Henderson; a sister, Peggy Travis of Henderson; three brothers, Henry Glassock and Edward Glasscock, both of Roxboro, and Billy Glasscock of Henderson; 14 grandchildren; 10 greatgrandchildren; a niece, Faye Turner of Oxford; and a bulldog, Sassy Girl. He was preceded in death by a brother, John J. Glasscock Jr.; a stepdaughter, Carol Ann Linsy; a grandson, Jermy Elliott; and a son-inlaw, Robert “Robbie” Watkins. The family will receive friends immediately following the services in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Ernest Glasscock Memorial Fund, 4244 Dabney Road, Henderson, N.C. 27536. Online memorials www.gnvfh.com; select obituaries.

MINDEN, La. — Funeral services for Ruth Lee King, 89, will be held Wednesday, December 30, 2009, at 10 a.m. at Rose-Neath Funeral Home Chapel in Minden, La. Interment will follow at White Hall Cemetery, Leton, La. The Rev. Carolyn Michael will be officiating. Visitation will be from 6 p.m. till 8 p.m. Tuesday December 29, 2009, at Rose-Neath Funeral Home. Mrs. King was born July 27, 1920, in Dodson, La. She passed away on December 27, 2009, in Minden, La. Mrs. King was a resident of Minden for over 60 years and a member of Pine Grove Methodist Church since 1948. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Neal Lee; her second husband, Roe King; and 11 brothers and sisters. Mourning her lost are her son, Robert Earl Lee and Cindy Rawls of Minden; daughter, Betty Johnson, and husband, Jim, of Henderson, N.C., and daughter, Ruth Ann Krajefska, and husband, Jim, of Pearland, Texas; grandchildren, Sharon Lennox and husband, Steve, of Baton Rouge, La., Lisa Toland and husband, Mike, of Minden, La., Neal Lee and wife, Lisa, of Bossier, La., Tim Lee and wife, Jessica, of Minden, La., Kim Rogers and husband, Bobby, of Henderson, N.C., Amy Steg of Henderson, N.C., Jimmy Johnson of Toronto, Canada, Brandon Rue of Pearland, Texas, and Nathan Rue and wife, Leslie, of Friendswood, Texas. She also leaves behind 22 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. Pallbearers will be grandsons Neal Lee, Tim Lee, Brandon Rue, Nathan Rue, Jimmy Johnson and Mike Toland. Honorary Pallbearers will be great-grandsons Scott Toland, Chris Toland, Chase Toland, Trey LaBorde, Cody LaBorde, Tanner LaBorde, Justin Roberson, Colin Roberson, and Ashton Davis. Her legacy will be her loving spirit, which she lavished upon her family. Each generation will always remember her fondly for her generosity and kindness. She will be remembered for all the times that she opened her home and her arms to all of her children’s friends. Her life is a testament to what it meant to be a loving wife, mother, and grandmother. We will miss her, but will carry with us the memory of a wonderful and strong woman. The family would like to give special thanks to Dr. Pistorius and the staff of Town and Country Nursing Home for their loving care. Funeral arrangements are by Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 211 Murrell St., Minden, La. 71055; phone, (318) 377-3412.

Paid Obituary

Ronald Anderson Jr.

Boyd C. Edwards Jr.

CREEDMOOR — Ronald “Dewey” Anderson Jr., 45, died Sunday, Dec. 27, 2009. He was a native of Ventura, Calif., and was the son of Ronald D. “Andy” Anderson Sr., and Rosezella Steele Moore and stepfather Harvey Moore. He was of the Catholic faith and was a self-employed truck driver. Surviving, other than his parents, are his wife, Su Anderson of the home; two daughters, Ashlee Anderson and Robbyn Anderson of the home; a son, Tyler Hunter of the home; two sisters, Lynn Diamond and Rhonda Hunter, both of Santa Claus, Ind.; two brothers, Kenneth Diamond of Gainesville, Fla., and Larry Diamond of Santa Claus, Ind. Memorial services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Eakes Funeral Chapel in Creedmoor by the Rev. David Chew. The family will receive friends at the CBA Lodge on Highway 50 in Creedmoor following the memorial service. Arrangements are by Eakes Funeral Home of Creedmoor.

HENDERSON — Boyd Clark Edwards Jr., 77, formerly of Henderson, died Monday, Dec. 28, 2009, at Universal Health Care of Oxford. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Flowers Funeral Home.

Wayne H. Frazier STEM — Wayne Hobgood Frazier, 61, of 1699 Jack Clement Road, Stem, died Saturday, Dec. 26, 2009. A native of Granville County, he was the son of the late Edward Booth and Virginia Hill Frazier. He was of the Baptist faith and was a master electrician. Memorial services will be conducted at the home of Mark and Kim Frazier, 4233 Old N.C. 75 in Stem, at 2 p.m. Thursday. Surviving are his daughter, Kristie Lawhorne of Macon; and two granddaughters. The visitation will follow the memorial service. Omissions of flowers are requested and donations may be made to the charity of one’s choice. Arrangements are by Eakes Funeral Home of Oxford.

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Claire G. Hester OXFORD — Claire Mae Greenway Hester, 96, died Sunday, Dec. 27, 2009. She was a native of Vance County and the daughter of the late Maurice Greenway and Sudie Adcock Greenway and was the oldest member of Enon Baptist Church. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. today at Enon Baptist Church by the Rev. James C. Shelly Jr. and Steve Brown. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Surviving are two sons, Maurice Hester and Durward Hester, both of Oxford; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Crawford Hester; a grandson; and three brothers, Norman Hartwell and Irvin Greenway. The visitation was Monday from 7-8:30 p.m. at Gentry-Newell and Vaughan Funeral Home, and at other times the family will be at the home of Durward and Joan

Hester, 1004 Hillsboro St., Oxford. Flowers are accepted or memorials may be made to Enon Baptist Church, c/o Buck Adcock, 2115 Tommie Daniel Road, Oxford, N.C. 27565. Arrangements are by Gentry-Newell and Vaughan Funeral Home of Oxford.

Joe D. Hunt OXFORD — Joe Daniel Hunt, 91, of 2112 Tommie Daniel Road, died Saturday, Dec. 26, 2009, at Granville Medical Center. A native of Granville County, he was the son of the late Joseph B. and Annie Daniel Hunt. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving in World War II, and was a lifelong member of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, where he was treasurer for 43 years. He was a retired farmer and former employee of Southern States where he worked in the garden center for many years. Funeral services will

Paid Obituary

be conducted at 2 p.m. today at Mt. Zion Baptist Church by the Rev. Keith Williams. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Surviving are a daughter, Ann Kathryn Parham of Oxford; a son, Joseph D. Hunt Jr. of Durham; five grandchildren; and four great-grandsons. He was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Mary Delia O. Hunt; and a brother, David “Red” Hunt. Flowers are accepted or memorials may be made to

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The Daily Dispatch

Local / State News

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Deaths James M. Miles VIRGINIA — James Milton Miles, 59, of Virginia, died Friday, Dec. 18, 2009, at Southampton Memorial Hospital in Franklin, Va. He was born in Mecklenburg County, Va., and was the son of the late Myrtle Miles Terry and the late Allen Terry Sr. He attended the Vance County public schools. Chapel services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Wednesday at DavisRoyster Funeral Service by Evangelist Catherine Gill. Burial will follow in Blacknall Cemetery. Survivors include four sisters, Mary Allen, Virginia Terry, Queen Terry and Carol Childs, all of Henderson, N.C.; seven brothers, Allen Terry Jr., Bobby Terry, Kenneth Terry, and Ervin Terry, all of Henderson, N.C., Theodore Terry of Greensboro, N.C., Donald Terry of Virginia Beach, Va., and Roosevelt Terry of Summer, S.C. The body will be on view at the funeral home today from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The family will receive friends at the residence of Mary Allen, 95 Lone Wolf Drive.

Arrangements are by Davis-Royster Funeral Service of Henderson, N.C.

James C. Minor OXFORD — James Calvin “Boodie” Minor, 75, of 7072 Mountain Road, died Sunday, Dec. 27, 2009, at his home. A native of Abbeville County, S.C., he was the son of the late Leo and Bertha Shull Minor. He was of the Baptist faith and was medically retired. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the Eakes Funeral Chapel in Oxford by the Rev. L.T. Harris. Burial will be in Meadowview Memorial Park. Surviving are his wife, Josephine Harris Minor of the home; three daughters, Carolyn M. Humphries, Betty M. Tuck and Lisa M. Lovings, all of Oxford; a son, Calvin Ray Minor of Tampa, Fla.; two brothers, Len Minor of Carthage and Bobby Minor of Robbins; 14 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren. The visitation will be from 7-8:30 p.m. today at the Eakes Funeral Home in Oxford and at other times at the home.

Arrangements are by Eakes Funeral Home of Oxford.

Arrangements are by Betts and Son Funeral Home of Oxford.

William Pettiford

George Royster Jr.

OXFORD — William Pettiford, a resident of 310 Taylor St., died Saturday, Dec. 26, 2009, at his home. He was a Granville County native and the son of the late Willie Pettiford and Eula Mayo Pettiford. He was a member of the First Baptist Church, where he was a former usher. Survivors include his wife, Janie Pettiford; a daughter, Mary Wilkerson of Oxford; a son, Jimmie Pettiford of Butner; a brother, the Rev. Lawrence Pettiford of Pleasantville, N.J.; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Thursday at the First Baptist Church, with eulogy by the Rev. Lacy Joyner. Burial will follow in the Meadowview Memorial Park. The viewing will be from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Betts and Son Funeral Home in Oxford. The family will receive visitors at 4738 Eastwood Ave., located on Knottsgrove Road.

OXFORD — George Royster Jr., 74, a resident of Universal Health Care, died Friday, Dec. 25, 2009. He was a Granville County native. Survivors include a daughter, Bobie Jean Royster of Richmond, Va.; three brothers, Chester Royster of Newark, N.J., George Edward Royster of Henderson and Frank Royster of Oxford; a sister, Hattie Lee of Oxford; a grandchild; and a greatgrandchild. Memorial services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Betts and Son Funeral Home Chapel by the Rev. Ronnie Green. Services are by Betts and Son Funeral Home in Oxford.

Kenneth S. Washington OXFORD — Kenneth S. Washington, 56, of 4017 Highway 96 South, died Thursday, Dec. 24, 2009, at his home. He was the son of the late Johnny C. Washington and Bertha Hester Washington. Survivors include a daughter, Shonda Green of Oxford; three brothers, Otis Washington of the

NC Briefs Study: NC can save millions with no death penalty RALEIGH (AP) — North Carolina could save $11 million a year if it stopped trying to execute killers, according to a study by a Duke University professor. The News & Observer of Raleigh reported Monday that prosecutors sought the death penalty in about a quarter of all murder trials from 2005 to 2006. Criminals were sentenced to death in less than 5 percent of those

cases. Duke economist Philip Cook published the study this month and will present his findings to lawmakers. Cook says the rarity of death sentences in North Carolina means the penalty doesn’t deter criminals. About 1,000 criminals were charged with murder in North Carolina in 2005 and 2006 and prosecutors sought the death penalty in 274 of the cases. Only 11 of those defendants were eventually sentenced to death and Cook says of those, probably only one will actually be executed. “On balance, the death penalty is not saving money

for the state, as many people think, but is actually costing the state,” Cook told The Associated Press.

Out-of-state travel expenses for NC lawmakers down RALEIGH (AP) — General Assembly leaders say they’ve tightened their belts greatly on the state paying for travel outside North Carolina for them and their colleagues. House Speaker Joe Hackney and Senate leader Marc Basnight said Monday the state’s share of out-of-state

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travel expenses for lawmakers has fallen 92 percent this fiscal year compared to the same period in 2007. They’ve spent $6,500 from July through November, compared to $78,000 in the same period two years ago. Basnight and Hackney issued travel restrictions earlier this year in response to the state’s budget crisis. The Legislature has agreed to pay conference registration fees in other states, but little else.*

Ferebee G. Preddy FRANKLINTON — Ferebee Gray Preddy, 80, died Sunday, Dec. 27, 2009, at her residence. She was born in Vance County, was the daughter of the late Rena George Wilkerson and Hartwell Wilkerson, and was preceded in death by her husband, Ira Preddy. Mrs. Preddy was a retired health care technician with John Umstead Hospital. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today in the chapel of Bright Funeral Home with the Rev. David Averette officiating. Burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery in Franklinton. Mrs. Preddy is survived by her daughter, Jean P. Matthews of Henderson; a son, Steve Preddy and his wife, Edna, of Franklinton; brothers, Ranger and Bobby Wilkerson, both of Henderson; and grandsons, Andrew and Nathan Preddy. Friends may visit with the family one hour prior to the service today at Bright Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 405 S. Main St., Wake Forest; phone, (919) 556-5811; www.brightfunerals.com. Paid Obituary

home, George Washington of Henderson and Alfonso Washington of East Orange, N.J.; six sisters, Geraldine Richardson, Gwendolyn Curtis and Toni Washington, all of Oxford, Mildred Williams of Butner, Gloria Washington of Creedmoor and Carolyn Copeland of Irvington, N.J.; and three grandchildren.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Betts and Son Funeral Home Chapel by the Rev. Anthony E. Cozart Sr. Burial will follow in Belton Creek Church cemetery. The viewing will be from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. today at the Betts and Son Funeral Home in Oxford.

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Retailers thinly stocked; sales better than predicted By MAE ANDERSON AP Retail Writer

ATLANTA — Retailers have thin inventories after coming out of Christmas with slightly better-than-expected sales. Some retailers kept inventory so low they’ve had to bring in new merchandise to restock shelves, a rare move this soon after Christmas. That’s good news for their bottom lines. But it means slim pickings for shoppers hoping for after-Christmas clearance sales. Shoppers looking for big sales should act quickly because there are relatively few leftovers to clear out. “Retailers are much more nimble this year,” NPD analyst Marshal Cohen said. “Their ’Plan B’ is to have new receipts at the ready.” Cohen said he noticed J. Crew and

Coach were two that had restocked shelves with new items last week. Because their ordering was in line with weak demand, retailers were able to sell more items at higher prices, which is critical to profits. Last year, profits were hammered by fire-sale discounts to get rid of the excess. Spending rose 3.6 percent from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24 compared with the same period last year, according to MasterCard Advisors’ SpendingPulse. Adjusted for an extra shopping day between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the number was closer to a 1 percent rise. That was still better than the flat sales analysts had predicted. A better idea of how retailers fared during the holiday will be known Jan. 7, when many report December sales.

Listed below are representative interdealer quotations at approximately 4 p.m. Monday from the National Association of Securities Dealers. Prices do not include retail mark-up, mark-down or commission. ACS 59.63 ATT 28.33 Ball Corp. 52.12 BankAmerica 15.29 BB&T 25.55 Coca-Cola 57.44 CVS 32.39 Duke Energy 17.34 Exxon 69.08 Ford 10.20 General Elec. 15.34 Home Depot 29.18 IBM 132.31 Johnson & Johnson 64.94 Kennametal 27.63 Krispy Kreme 2.95 Land America Financial Group 5.22 Louisiana Pacific 7.36 Lowes 23.65 Lucent Tech. 3.26 Nortel Networks Corp 0.66 Pepsico 61.16 Phillip Morris 19.98 Procter & Gamble 61.25 Progress Energy 41.39 RF Micro Dev 4.88

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

A DAY ON WALL STREET

Area Stocks Currencies & Metals

Dow Jones industrials

10,000 8,000 S

Pct. change from previous: +0.26%

High 10,551.61

2,400

Nasdaq composite

2,200 1,800 1,600 S

Pct. change from previous: +0.24%

High 2,295.80

Dec. 28, 2009

+1.30 S

Pct. change from previous: +0.12%

High 1,130.38

SOURCE: SunGard

1,400

Low 2,280.56

Standard & Poor’s 500 D

ExchgRate 91.59 $1.4384 $1.6003 1.0350 1.0429 12.9390

Metal NY Merc Gold NY HSBC Bank US NY Merc Silver

2,000

+5.39

1,127.78

7,000

Low 10,506.34

Dec. 28, 2009

2,291.08

Dollar vs: Yen Euro Pound Swiss franc Canadian dollar Mexican peso

9,000

+26.98 10,547.08

NEW YORK (AP) — Key currency exchange rates Monday:

11,000

Dec. 28, 2009

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

Low 1,123.51 AP

MARKET ROUNDUP 122809: Market Verizon 53.23charts showComm. Dow, S&P 500, and 33.49 stand-alone; 2c x 4 1/2 inches; Vulcan 53.27 53.81Nasdaq; x 114 mm; staff Wal-Mart 53.98 17.3296 mm

Royal Bk Can RJR Tobacco Revlon as of: 5:25:04 PM CP EST Web Financial 15.00 Sprint Editors: All figures 3.65 NOTE: Figures reflect market fluctuations close; may not match other AP content 4.71 Sun Trust 20.55 afterWendy’s Etablissements Delha 77.40 Universal 47.93

Price $1107.20 $1106.00 $17.543

PvsDay 91.38 $1.4381 $1.5967 1.0358 1.0500 12.8840 PvsDay $1104.10 $1105.00 $17.423

Nonferrous NEW YORK (AP) — Spot nonferrous metal prices Monday: Aluminum -$0.9978 per lb., N.Y. Merc spot Thu. Copper -$3.2063 Cathode full plate, U.S. destinations. Copper $3.3165 N.Y. Merc spot Thu. Lead - $2326.00 metric ton, London Metal Exch. Zinc - $1.1294 per lb., delivered. Gold - $1106.00 Handy & Harman (only daily quote). Gold - $1107.20 troy oz., NY Merc spot Thu. Silver - $17.543 Handy & Harman (only daily quote). Silver - $12.325 troy oz., N.-. Merc spot Thu. Platinum -$1485.00 troy oz., N.Y. (contract). Platinum -$1480.30 troy oz., N.Y. Merc spot Thu. n.q.-not quoted, n.a.-not available r-revised

OFFICIAL BALLOT FOR THE 2009 “BEST OF VANCE COUNTY” 65. Best Golf Course Business _______________________ 66. Best Church Supplier Business _______________________ 67. Best Medical Wear Business _______________________

People 1. Best Contractor Name _________________________ 2. Best Electrician Name _________________________ 3. Best Pharmacist Name _________________________ 4. Best Doctor Name _________________________ 5. Best Nurse (RN, LPN) Name _________________________ Location________________________ 6. Best Medical Assistant (CNA, office assistant) Name _________________________ 7. Best Dentist Name _________________________ 8. Best Optometrist Name _________________________ 9. Best Insurance Agent Name _________________________ Business _______________________ 10. Best Waiter/Waitress Name _________________________ Restaurant ______________________ 11. Best Car Salesperson Name _________________________ 12. Best Hair Stylist Name _________________________ Salon __________________________ 13. Best Sales Team Business _______________________ 14. Best Auto Mechanic Name _________________________ Business _______________________ 15. Best Attorney Name _________________________ 16. Best Elected Official Name _________________________ 17. Best Real Estate Team Business _______________________ 18. Best Real Estate Agent Name _________________________ 19. Best Dental Hygienist Name _________________________ Office _________________________ 20. Best CPA Name _________________________ Firm __________________________ 21. Best Chiropractor Name _________________________ 22. Best Barber Name _________________________ 23. Best Veterinarian Name _________________________

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2009

Goods & Services 24. Best Restaurant Business _______________________ 25. Best Caterer Business _______________________ 26. Best Roofing Co. Business _______________________ 27. Best Sign Company Business _______________________ 28. Best Nursing Home Business _______________________ 29. Best Bank Bank __________________________ 30. Best Tires Business _______________________ 31. Best Clothes Business _______________________ 32. Best Body Shop Business _______________________ 33. Best Jewelry Store Business _______________________ 34. Best Pet Services Business _______________________ 35. Best Used Cars Business _______________________ 36. Best Dry Cleaner Business _______________________ 37. Best Hair Salon Business _______________________ 38. Best Furniture Store Business _______________________ 39. Best Pest Control Business _______________________ 40. Best Gas/Service Station Business _______________________ 41. Best New Cars Business _______________________ 42. Best Cosmetics Business _______________________ 43. Best Muffler Shop Business _______________________

44. Best Florist Business _______________________ 45. Best Home Improvement Company Business _______________________ 46. Best Nursery/Garden Center Business _______________________ 47. Best Car Wash/Detail Business _______________________ 48. Best Shippers Business _______________________ 49. Best Gift Shop Business _______________________ 50. Best Funeral Services Business _______________________ 51. Best Nail Salon Business _______________________ 52. Best Barber Shop Business _______________________ 53. Best Carpet Dealer Business _______________________ 54. Best Drug Store Business _______________________ 55. Best Manufactured Homes Business _______________________ 56. Best Plumbing Company Business _______________________ 57. Best Appliance Store Business _______________________ 58. Best Electronics Store Business _______________________ 59. Best Mattress Dealer Business _______________________ 60. Best Heating & Cooling Co. Business _______________________ 61. Best Preschool or Day Care Center Business _______________________ 62. Best Print Shop Business _______________________ 63. Best Internet Provider Business _______________________ 64. Best Wireless Store Business _______________________

68. Best Mexican Food Business _______________________ 69. Best Italian Food Business _______________________ 70. Best Chinese Food Business _______________________ 71. Best Cup of Coffee Restaurant or Store ________________ 72. Best Pancake and Waffles Restaurant ______________________ 73. Best Stew Restaurant or Deli _________________ 74. Best Hot Dogs Restaurant or Grill _________________ 75. Best Hamburgers Restaurant or Grill _________________ 76. Best Barbeque Restaurant ______________________ 77. Best Fried Chicken Restaurant ______________________ 78. Best Chicken Sandwich Restaurant ______________________ 79. Best Hushpuppies Restaurant ______________________ 80. Best Fast Food Restaurant or Grill _________________ 81. Best Salad Bar/Soup Restaurant or Grill _________________ 82. Best Buffet Restaurant or Deli _________________ 83. Best Pizza Restaurant or Delivery Service ________ 84. Best Steaks Restaurant ______________________ 85. Best Seafood Restaurant ______________________ 86. Best Iced Tea Restaurant or Grill _________________ 87. Best Ice Cream Location________________________ 88. Best Milkshakes Location________________________ 89. Best Desserts Restaurant, Deli or Bakery ___________ 90. Best “Southern Style” Meal Restaurant ______________________ 91. Best Home-Cooked Breakfast Business _______________________ 92. Best Chicken Tenders Business _______________________ 93. Best Fish Sandwich Business _______________________

RULES FOR ENTRY 1. At least 50% of the questions must be answered on your ballot. 2. When voting on names, please put the first and last names and put “jr.”, “III”, etc. when applicable. 3. When voting the name of a chain (for example: Hardee’s Pizza Hut, Burger King, McDonalds, etc.) be sure to specify which location.

4. No mechanical reproductions of “answered ballots: will be accepted. 5. All answers must be applicable to Vance County for eligibility. 6. Send your completed entries to “The Best of Vance County” Retail Dept. P.O. Box 908, Henderson, N. C. 27536

7. Ballots must be received by January 25, 2010. 8. One entry per person. 9. Must be 18 years or older to participate. 10. Complete list of rules are available at The Dispacth

Name (Please Print) ________________________________________ Address____________________________ Telephone (Home) ______________________ (Day) _____________ Signature____________________________

Nation / World

The Daily Dispatch

US / World Briefs Charlie Sheenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife says he threatened her DENVER (AP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Charlie Sheenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife told police the actor pinned her on a bed, put a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her in a Christmas Day fight in Aspen that began when she said she wanted a divorce. An arrest warrant affidavit released Monday quotes Brooke Mueller Sheen as saying that the actor straddled her on a bed with one hand grasping her neck and the other holding the knife. She said Sheen told her: â&#x20AC;&#x153;You better be in fear. If you tell anybody, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll kill you.â&#x20AC;? He also told her, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Your motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s money means nothing, I have ex-police I can hire who know how to get the job done and they wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t leave any trace,â&#x20AC;? according to the affidavit. The 44-year-old Sheen denied threatening his wife with a knife or choking her, and told officers they had slapped each other on the arms and that he had snapped two pairs of her eyeglasses in front of her, according to the affidavit. An ambulance was sent to the house in Aspen, but police say no one was taken to the hospital. Charlie Sheen, who is listed in the affidavit by his legal name, Carlos Irwin Estevez, told police he and his wife have been having marital problems and that she abuses alcohol.

Miss. fire kills 6 children, 3 women STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Fire gutted an apartment in a rundown complex Monday, killing three women and six children, including several family members taken in because they had nowhere else to go, officials and neighbors said. The West Memorial Funeral Home identified the victims as India Williams, 25, and her three children, along with Williamsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cousin, Castella â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mariaâ&#x20AC;? Bell, 18, and her three children. The ninth victim was 20-year-old Lakesha Gillespie, identified by the funeral home as a friend. The children were ages 6 months to 6 years. Latasha Brown, who lives downstairs, said she never heard smoke detectors, but a neighbor banged on her door around 4 a.m. to tell her to get out. She grabbed her 3-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter and ran barefoot into the cold. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was horrifying,â&#x20AC;? said Brown, 28. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never seen anything like it in my life.â&#x20AC;?

Investigators did not know what caused the blaze, though they did not suspect it was set. Several neighbors said the apartments in the Academy Crossing complex had electrical problems, though complex owner Mildred Rollins said she was not aware of any such problems. She would not comment further. Neighbors said Williams, who worked at a Popeyes fast food restaurant, took in Bell and her children recently because they had fallen on hard times. They said Williams and Gillespie were a couple. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They were the kindest people who would not turn away a friend, especially when she had kids,â&#x20AC;? Brown said.

No longer coy, Giuliani wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t run for NY office NEW YORK (AP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; After months of playing it coy and flirting with a bid for statewide office, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani said Tuesday that he wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t return to the campaign trail next year, leaving a wide-open field for New York Republicans interested in the gubernatorial and Senate races. Giuliani, viewed by many New York Republicans as a savior for the struggling party, said his â&#x20AC;&#x153;significant commitmentsâ&#x20AC;? to his lucrative law and consulting businesses made it impossible for him to run for office in 2010. At a news conference to endorse ex-congressman Rick Lazio for governor, Giuliani said he had considered running against incumbent Democrat Gov. David Paterson and in the U.S. Senate race next year against freshman Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand. Unwilling to bow to speculation that this might be the end of his political career, the 65-year-old said he wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t rule out running for office in the future. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a decision purely about 2010,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have no idea whether Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll run for something else.â&#x20AC;?

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Obama vows to use power to thwart terrorists By PHILIP ELLIOTT Associated Press Writer

HONOLULU â&#x20AC;&#x201D; President Barack Obama on Monday vowed to use â&#x20AC;&#x153;every element of our national powerâ&#x20AC;? to keep Americans safe and said the failed Christmas Day plot to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner was â&#x20AC;&#x153;a serious reminderâ&#x20AC;? of the need to continually adapt security measures against changing terrorist threats. But even as Obama spoke, word came that a State Department warning had failed to trigger an effort to revoke the alleged attackerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s visa. And officials in Yemen confirmed that the would-be bomber had been living in that country, where terrorist elements quickly sought to take credit for his actions. The incident prompted stiffer airport boarding measures and authorities warned holiday travelers to expect extra delays as they return home this week and beyond. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, charged with

Iran holds bodies of slain protesters CAIRO (AP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Iranian authorities said Monday that they were holding the bodies of five slain anti-government protesters in what appeared to be an attempt to prevent activists from using their funerals as a platform for more demonstrations. Pro-reform Web sites and activists said the government also detained at least eight prominent opposition figures â&#x20AC;&#x201D; including a former foreign minister â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in an intensified crackdown that could fuel more violence of the kind that engulfed the center of Tehran on Sunday. Hardliners issued statements urging the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s judiciary to take action against the opposition for violating Islamic principles and insulting the head of Iranâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s religious leadership, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In the bloodiest protests in months, groups of emboldened demonstrators on Sunday chanted slogans against Khamenei, casting aside a taboo on criticism of the leader.

Friendly skies â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;confusedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; CHICAGO (AP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; You are now free to move about the cabin. Or not. After a two-day security clampdown prompted by a thwarted attempt to bomb a jetliner, some airline officials told The Associated Press that the in-flight restrictions had been eased. And it was now up to captains on each flight to decide whether passengers can have blankets and other items on their laps or can move around during the final phase of flight. Confused? So were scores of passengers who flew Monday on one of the busiest travel days of the year. On some flights, passengers were told to keep their hands visible and not to listen to iPods. Even ba-

bies were frisked. But on other planes, security appeared no tighter than usual. The Transportation Security Administration did little to explain the rules. And that inconsistency might well have been deliberate: Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s confusing to passengers is also confusing to potential terrorists. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It keeps them guessing,â&#x20AC;? transportation expert Joseph Schwieterman said. By not making public a point-by-point list of new security rules, federal officials also retain more flexibility, the DePaul University professor added, enabling them to target responses to certain airports or flights seen as more vulnerable.

trying to destroy an aircraft, is being held at the federal prison in Milan, Mich. A court hearing that had been scheduled for Monday to

determine whether the government can get DNA from him was postponed until Jan. 8. No reason was given. Calling Abdulmutallabâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

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action an â&#x20AC;&#x153;attempted act of terrorismâ&#x20AC;? Obama vowed to â&#x20AC;&#x153;do everything that we can to keep America safeâ&#x20AC;? and declared: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The United States will more than simply strengthen our defenses. We will continue to use every element of our national power to disrupt, to dismantle and defeat the violent extremists who threaten us.â&#x20AC;? Members of Congress, meanwhile, questioned how a man flagged as a possible terrorist managed to board a commercial flight into the United States carrying powerful explosives and nearly bring down the jetliner. Meanwhile, al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula claimed responsibility for the thwarted attack as retaliation for a U.S. operation against the group in Yemen, which has long been an al-Qaida stomping ground. But officials fear that deepening instability in the Middle Eastern nation may be giving new opportunity for the terror group to establish a base.

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Nothing sporting about gossip

James Edwards, Publisher Luke Horton, Editor jedwards@hendersondispatch.com

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

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Editorial Board:

Opinion

The Daily Dispatch

lhorton@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 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping [for] her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. Matthew 2:16-23

Once upon a time, we looked away. That’s how it used to be in the sports writing business. If Babe Ruth was drunk at night but hit a home run during the day, only the home run was reported. That attitude has changed. Over the years, the wink and nod agreement between sports heroes and the men who lionized them withered away. The behavior got worse (gambling, drugs, steroids) and the journalism got more pointed. Now comes news that TMZ, the powerful gossip Internet and TV organization, is sharpening its fangs for a bite into the sports business — and this could take the ugliness, as athletes like to say, to whole new level. According to several reports, TMZ has registered the name “TMZSports. com” with plans to build a parallel model to its entertainment operation, which consists of rumors, tips, paparazzi photos or cell phone video slapped into so-called news that is mostly about bad behavior. There’s plenty of that in the sports world.

Digging up dirt part of brave new world Consider this. The Tigers Woods scandal hasn’t got a thing to do with actual sports, yet it’s one of this year’s biggest sports stories. The Web hits were through the roof. No doubt TMZ and Mitch other outAlbom fits smell Tribune Media blood in Services the water and money in the wind. So we rush into a new era of sports reporting — the “gotcha” approach previously reserved for the Brad Pitts and Angelina Jolies of the world. And I’ll tell you this. Catching married athletes with other women will not be hard. Snapping photos of drunken athletes will not be hard. Getting tips about ballplayers in strip clubs, hot tubs or crowded limos will not be hard. The fact is, many famous athletes are young men with a lot of money and little life

experience beyond the playing field. They are often in the wrong place with the wrong people. Ask Chris Henry’s friends. Or Sean Taylor’s. Ask any coach. If you are willing to pay bartenders or security guards for info and photos (something TMZ admits it does) the pile of sports gossip will be a mile high. After all, how many truly big-name actors or singers are there? Fifty? Sixty? But you’ve got hundreds if not thousands of baseball, football, basketball, hockey, tennis or golf stars to pick from. And many are on the road, easily found in hotels or traveling in groups.

Drama on field, not off it, was important

I’m not saying ignoring the cavorting of athletes is some high and mighty principle. When substance abuse or criminal acts intersect with a player’s performance it is sadly yet surely news. But over the years in this business, when the game was over, when the quotes had been gathered, when the story had been written, I felt the job had been done for the day. It wasn’t my obligation to then follow the athlete into a bar or sneak around outside

his hotel room. But I fear soon that’s where “sports news” may begin. Look no further than the coverage of Alex Rodriguez’s love life in the New York tabloids, or the fact that Tiger’s marital woes made the cover of the New York Post for 20 straight days, eclipsing the previous record held by the terror of 9/11. Sex sells. Gossip sells. Bad behavior sells. The TMZ approach of capturing your worst moments and splashing them around the world will be a hard thing for more conservative news outlets to ignore. It’s a giant sucking force, a steamy, melting pot of celebrity where being the major league home run leader is the same as being a “real housewife” of Atlanta. As sports writers, we weren’t covering stars because of their cheekbones, physiques or fame. We covered them because they achieved amazing things on the playing field and created drama that was exhilarating and captivating. Once upon a time, we looked away from the other stuff. Now we never stop staring, following, snapping and gossiping. Maybe the old method wasn’t telling the whole story. But at least we weren’t manufacturing it.

Our Opinion

New editor takes helm The Daily Dispatch welcomed Luke Horton as our editor on Monday, and we hope you will welcome him and his family to town as well. He and his wife and their two children made the move to Henderson from Mississippi last week, celebrating Christmas in their new residence. Despite his youth, Horton brings with him a great deal of experience in community journalism, having worked for several newspapers in Mississippi, the most recent as editor of a fairly large thrice-weekly in Hernando, Miss., just a short drive from Memphis, Tenn. With numerous press association awards under his belt, Horton comes highly recommended. We want you to know, however, that while the awards are impressive, what really means the most to us is his demonstrated desire to deliver local news to readers like you. We’re committed to delivering the most comprehensive coverage of the Tri-County area we can offer, and we’re confident we can deliver with Horton at the helm. — James Edwards, Publisher

Quotable

Letters Tiger’s transgressions underscore a bigger problem Like many, I found disbelief and disappointment in the recent revelations regarding Tiger Woods. Simultaneously, I am just as forgiving and compassionate realizing Tiger is after all just another man. Sure he plays a most difficult game like no other, but in the real game of life he is like the rest of us, imperfect and sinful. Moreover, mankind, at large is suffering from lack of something which

“It’s not reassuring when the secretary of Homeland Security says the system worked. It failed in every respect.” — Rep. Peter King of New York, the top Republican on the Homeland Security Committee in a statement after Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the suspect in the attack of a Northwest flight on Christmas Day was stopped before any damage could be done as she hastened to assure people that flying is safe.

Common sense could minimize school bullying on campuses

“We want a public option to do basically three things: Create more choice for insurers, create more competition for insurance companies, and to contain costs. So if we can come up with a process by which these three things can be done, then I’m all for it. Whether or not we label it a public option or not is of no consequence.” — Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina in statement as he and another House Democrat who also favors a government insurance plan for the health care legislation, acknowledged it might have to be sacrificed as negotiators work out a final agreement with the Senate.

School boards across North Carolina have been busy in recent weeks writing or approving policies addressing bullying. They’re doing so to comply with a law passed by the General Assembly earlier this year. The new law requires each school system in the state to adopt a policy by Dec. 31. It sets forth requirements stipulating that the new policies must define bullying, set forth measures for reporting bullying to appropriate school employees and spell out potential consequences of students or employees deemed to have bullied others at school. Some are suggesting that school boards tread cautiously when not only adopting and but also implementing their policies to make sure they don’t cross over into infringing upon the right of free speech. For example, Eva DuBuisson, a Raleigh attorney advising the AlamanceBurlington Board of Education on its

might have prevented Tiger’s troubles. I speak of that necessity for good moral manhood — character. We the people have slowly but surely devolved from virtue priorities to a state of vice hood. We have so tolerated and desensitized ourselves to the point where even murder and theft are no longer perceived as extreme measures, rather par for the course. Tiger does not stand alone in his transgressions. What he has done, however, is thrust another death blow to the status of virtue priorities. When Ken Lay brought Enron down, everyone thought, this has to be

to the

Editor

the most despicable act possible. Then along came Bernie Madoff. As outrageous as Tiger’s troubles are, there will surely come a time, when even they will pale in comparison. That is a troubling path to be on, and one which can only lead to eventual destruction. Yes, Tiger surely has problems, but the bigger problem is ours as a society — a lack of character. As for Tiger, I say simply, “he among us who is without sin, let him cast the first stone.” John I. Mayo Creedmoor

Other Views policy, indicated that the line between bullying and free speech could be blurry, suggesting that where to draw the line is “a difficult question that we’re going to have to work on.” The law itself says that it is not to be construed to permit officials to punish “student expression or speech” and that it is not to be used “to avoid the discomfort and unpleasantness that always accompany an unpopular viewpoint.” DuBuisson noted that school principals will primarily be responsible for enforcing the policy. Principals will out of necessity often delegate such enforcement to vice principals and teachers. Here’s a suggestion. School administrators and teachers should use common sense in enforcing any anti-bullying policies. The law alludes to certain “differentiating characteristics” that could be a motivating factor for bullies. These include “race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, socioeconomic status, academic status, gender identity, physical appearance, sexual orientation” or various disabilities.

Common sense dictates that acts of violence or threats should not be tolerated and are instances which call for swift and appropriate discipline. We realize that while those two hypothetical examples are easy to distinguish, reality often does not provide for such clear-cut options. Parents also play an important role in addressing the issue. Initially, they can teach their children that bullying is wrong and can cooperate with principals and teachers if their child gets into trouble. In addition, if their child is bullied, they should work with administrators to resolve the problem. The problem of bullying in schools isn’t a new one. In fact, it likely began the day the first educational facility accepted its first five students. Nor will the new law or new policies eliminate it. But principals, teachers and parents using common sense to deal with bullying could minimize the problem on campuses. The Times-News, Burlington

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

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