The Daily Dispatch - Wednesday, December 30, 2009 by The Daily Dispatch

CMYK Henderson man, 59, remains missing From Page One, Page 3A

Obama: ‘A systemic failure occurred’ Nation, Page 7A

A genuine American hero Opinion, Page 8A

Leach seeks court order to coach in Alamo Bowl

Duke’s Nolan Smith drives to the basket in win over Long Beach State, 84-63.

Game-Day Recipes That Score

Sports, Page 1B

Good Taste, Page 1C

WEDNESDAY, December 30, 2009

Volume XCV, No. 304

(252) 436-2700

www.hendersondispatch.com

50 cents

EDC names Henderson man stays in legal hole with backhoes chief, runs afoul of law By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer

Closed-session choice for post should have been revealed in public By DAVID IRVINE Daily Dispatch Writer

WARRENTON – The Board of Directors of the Warren County Economic Development Commission voted unanimously on Monday to recommend that the Board of Commissioners hire Alfred J. “Fred” Papa as Economic Development Director for the county. As reported on Tuesday, the board did not reveal the identity of its choice for the position at Monday’s meeting. The board, in effect, recommended the person whom they had discussed in closed session. When that position was questioned by The Daily Dispatch, EDC Chairman Ernest Fleming stated that since only the commissioners have hiring authority, the EDC decided not to Please see EDC, page 7A

Index Our Hometown . . . . . 2A Business & Farm. . . . 5A Public Records . . . . . 6A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . 8A Light Side . . . . . . . . . 9A Sports. . . . . . . . . . 1-4B Comics . . . . . . . . . . . 2C Classifieds. . . . . . . 3-5C

Weather Today Partly cloudy

High: 43 Low: 34

Thursday Rainy day

High: 45 Low: 35

Details, 3A

Deaths Henderson Boyd C. Edwards Jr., 77 Thomas W. Johnson, 72 Oxford Mary C. Gooch, 89 Raleigh John N. Evans, 57 Smithfield Mary Ball Spring Hope Bobbie E. Rogers, 66

Obituaries, 4A

Christopher Neil Clopton’s legal troubles with backhoes began several years before Raleigh police recently charged him with stealing one worth $80,000. According to area news media reports, the 43-year-old Henderson man is accused of taking the machine Saturday from the S.T. Wooten Construction Company. Clopton, of 1281 Cheatham

Mabry Lane, was one of five people arrested by Vance County Sheriff’s deputies in 2006 during the investigation of a construction materials theft ring. At the time, Detective J.R. Ferguson said the stolen items included two backhoes worth $50,000 each, lumber from construction sites, shingles, air conditioning units, tools, vinyl siding and an aluminum bender from sites in Wake, Granville and Vance counties, as well as the city

of Raleigh. All of the items were estimated to have a total value of $250,000. The other four who were taken into custody back then were: • Nakia Darnell Purnell, 31, of 275 Stewart Road, Lot 5, Henderson. • Candice Brook Purnell, 23, of the same address. • Rodney Creech, 32, of the same address. • Kenneth Gregg Stevenson, 37, of 920 Hargrove St.

Clopton pleaded guilty to two consolidated charges of felonious possession of stolen goods. He was given a single, active prison sentence of eight months to 10 months, and was ordered to make restitution of $525. A number of other charges against Clopton were voluntarily dismissed. Creech pleaded guilty to two consolidated charges: felonious

Library expansion under way

Please see BACKHOES, page 4A

White to run again Sheriff also pitching jail expansion By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer

Sheriff Peter White threw his star into Vance County’s political ring Tuesday to run for a second four-year term. The retired North Carolina Highway Daily Dispatch/WILLIAM F. WEST Patrol major also had Work is progressing on the expansion and renovation of the Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford. On Tuesday, Melvin Turner, of some more Turner Backhoe in Garner, was moving dirt to make way for a storm drain. The hole for the drain is at the left, with the concrete news up pieces of the drain sitting in the left background. Granville County voters in a November 2008 referendum overwhelmingly aphis civilian proved an $8 million bond issue to upgrade libraries countywide, including transforming the more than 45-year-old Thornton. suit-sleeve: hopefully enlarging the White jail within the next few years. As soon as the $1.5 million worth of renovations going on at the facility are completed sometime which from Youngsville, is a tion to the state Senate. By WILLIAM F. WEST around late April, White includes all former assistant prosecuBerger said another Daily Dispatch Writer said, “I plan to begin a of Vance, tor and a former deputy reason he decided to seek discussion with the County Granville commissioner for the N.C. re-election is because he State Sen. Doug Berger Commissioners concerning and Warren Industrial Commission, serves the area along with an expansion of the jail.” said he is seeking re-eleccounties. which deals with workers’ state Reps. Jim Crawford, tion to another two-year He estimated that inThe pricompensation claims. Michael Wray and Lucy term because he wants to creasing the capacity from mary election Berger Berger in 2000 was Allen. continue focusing on eco118 to “175 to 200” inmates unsuccessful in seeking “And I believe that nomic development, educa- is set for May would carry the same price 4, with the general elecelection as labor commisthere’s no delegation that tion and health care. tag as currently “fixing tion to be Nov. 2. sioner, but he was successBerger, 49, D-Franklin, what is broken.” Please see BERGER, page 4A Berger, an attorney ful in 2004 in seeking elecrepresents District 7, The daily population averages 150, but sometimes increases to “the 180s,” the incumbent estimated. “Our main problem is too many inmates,” he said. “With that comes all kinds of issues. You’ve got members of various gangs County and all of Warren his service in visited nearly two-dozen By WILLIAM F. WEST represented. You’ve got County. The primary elecRaleigh. schools in two-week time Daily Dispatch Writer individuals that have done tion is set for May 4, with At the period in the district he harm to friends or relatives the general election to be same time, saw some of the children State Rep. Michael of other inmates who may Nov. 2. Wray said with their heads on their Wray said he will seek sometimes be in the same Wray, a businessman the experidesks, asleep. re-election to another dorm.” from Gaston, served on the ence has Wray said when he two-year term because he He said “a mixture” of Gaston City Council from been an eyeasked some of the superwants to continue making Wray people from all over Vance, 1991-95 and was elected to opening one intendents why this was a difference. North Carolina and other the state House in 2004. because of many strughappening he was told, Wray, 42, D-Northamp“It’s been a great experi- gling in the midst of the “We don’t know what kind states “come together at ton, represents District ence. It’s been a rewarding weak national economy. 27, which includes the Please see WRAY, page 4A Please see WHITE, page 3A experience,” Wray said of And Wray said when he northern part of Vance

Berger announces he’ll run in 2010

State senator wants to focus on economic development, education, health care

Wray to campaign again for House

Incumbent says he wants to continue making a difference for Vance and Warren

Our Hometown

The Daily Dispatch

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Southern Vance High School Freshman Academy shows true signs of success

Mark It Down Today 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. Insurance meeting — Senior Scope representative Alethea Ramey will meet with any individuals in the community who have questions about their Social Security insurance coverage at 1 p.m. at Ridgeway Baptist Church, 156 Wycoff Road, Ridgeway.

The hard work that students, teachers and administrators have put in over the last two years in the Freshman Academy at Southern Vance High School is now showing true signs of success. All 235 ninth graders at Southern Vance are enrolled in the Freshman Academy. The vast majority of the students are successfully completing their school work and scoring C’s or better for class averages. Almost 25 percent of the freshman are Dee’s Music Barn — Dee’s Music Barn, 3101 Walters scoring 90 percent or better Road, Creedmoor, will be featuring the Woodard Band at 7 on their work. At the end of p.m. For more information, call (919) 528-5878. the 2008-2009 school year, only two ninth graders (whose classmates are now 10th graders) dropped out of school. More ninth graders this year Elections board — The Vance County Board of Elections are taking honors classes and will meet at 11 a.m. in the Board of Elections office in the online courses offered through Henry A. Dennis Building, 300 S. Garnett St., Henderson. N.C. Learn and Earn. Even the 10th graders, who went through the academy last year, are taking more challenging courses and continuing their classroom success. The Daily Dispatch staff asks that items intended for inclu“The students really seem sion in the calendar be submitted in writing at least five days to excel in the Freshman in advance of the event. Please include a contact person’s Academy,” said Stephanie Ayname and phone number in case there are questions. Items scue, an assistant principal at for this listing can be e-mailed to communitynews@henderSouthern Vance and the adsondispatch.com. ministrator for the academy. “This really is a school within a school. All of the freshman are contained in classrooms on the same hallway for their core classes. They do go to classes for one to two elective courses in other parts of the The Zeta Phi Beta Sorordinner, gratuity and show. school, but for the most part ity is sponsoring a trip to The deadline for payment is they are in this smaller setThe Barn Dinner Theatre in Jan. 12. To reserve a seat, ting with the 11 teachers who Greensboro on Feb. 6 to celcontact one of the following are the Freshman Academy ebrate the life and legacy of sponsors: Mary Williams, faculty. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (252) 438-6695; Celeste “The students get more The musical drama “Dreams Brown, (252) 492-3530; individualized attention in the Of A King,” featuring ShirMildred Person, (252) 456academy,” Ayscue continued. ley Jean Glover Johnson, 4710; Betty Ramey, (252) “They get to know their teachtakes the audience on an 492-3096; Sarah Lewis, ers better. And, they know emotional journey highlight- (919) 426-6789; Naomi Althat we’ll take care of them ing King’s accomplishments, len, (252) 586-4779; Donetta and help ensure they’re sucdetermination and dream. Bulluck, (252) 425-5296; cessful in their work.” The cost of the trip is $68 or Katrina Tunstall, (252) Tannis Jenkins, who is the counselor for the Freshman and includes transportation, 432-9247. Academy, agrees part of the Guidelines for Community success of the academy is its setting. “The students News Submissions smaller talk with their teachers more and they come to us with The Daily Dispatch communitynews@henderquestions and problems we encourages readers to submit sondispatch.com or faxed to can help them with.” news items and photos for (252) 436-0125. Submitted Jenkins added that faculty inclusion in the paper. News photos are kept for 30 days members take students on items may be dropped off at after appearing in the paper our newspaper offices at 304 and may be picked up at any field trips to visit area colleges S. Chestnut St. in downtown time after they appear in the almost every month. The field Henderson or mailed to The paper. For more information trips are one type of incentive offered to students for excelDaily Dispatch, P.O. Box 908, on community news guideling in the classroom, with Henderson, NC, 27536. News lines, contact Linda Gupton, other incentives including givitems may also be e-mailed to features editor, at 436-2837.

Saturday Tuesday

Guidelines

Trip planned to see musical based on life of M.L. King

Students, who made all A’s in the first grading period of this school year and are in the Freshman Academy at Southern Vance High School, surround a bulletin board which displays the academy’s theme, “You Must Think, Believe, Dream and Dare!” ing students prizes donated by local businesses. Jenkins stressed the field trips are a great way to show students the opportunities ahead of them if they do well in high school and graduate. “A big key to our success is that our two teams of teachers communicate well with one another,” Ayscue said. “It’s a total team effort.” Ayscue said the teams of teachers meet regularly to discuss instruction and student progress. She credits the strong, positive faculty communication with helping teachers to connect more effectively with their students. Better communication among faculty members is evident to the students, Ayscue says, because the teachers will talk more with the students about their progress in all courses. “The students can tell when the teachers really know them and know how they are doing in all of their classes, not just the class that particular teacher teaches,” she noted. “It’s important too that all of our academy teachers who were here last year stayed for this year,” Jenkins added. “This brings stability to the classes. Even the 10th graders who went through the academy last year, come back to talk with us about their classes, grades and any problems they might be having. We still interact a lot with the 10th graders and they seem to be doing well.” The Freshman Academy at Southern Vance certainly

seems to be achieving its goal, which is to offer ninth graders a smoother transition from middle school into high school in a smaller and more structured setting. Staff members in the Freshman Academy also are working more closely with teachers and administrators, especially in the eighth grade, at Henderson Middle School. They visit with students while they are still in middle school to talk with them about the academy and high school experiences. Often, students in the Freshman Academy accompany teachers to the middle school to share their experiences. “At any high school, most ninth graders have a difficult time adjusting to the added freedom and responsibility they have after middle

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From Page One

The Daily Dispatch

FIVE-DAY FORECAST FOR HENDERSON TODAY

TONIGHT

THURSDAY

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Henderson man, 59, remains missing Second man found in Virginia just days after Silver Alert By DISPATCH STAFF

Partly Cloudy

Scat’d Rain

43º

34º

45º 35º

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Isolated Rain

Mostly Sunny

44º 22º

33º 18º

32º 17º

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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Normal High . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Normal Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Record High . . . . . . . . .76 in 1984 Record Low . . . . . . . . .13 in 1977

.7:24 .5:08 .3:58 .6:18 .7:25 .5:09 .5:10 .7:18

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 . . . . .2.82" Year to date . . . . . . . . . . . . .40.25" Normal year to date . . . . . .42.83"

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 240 220.3 -0.4 Neuse Falls 264 254.7 -0.3

24-Hr. Capacity Yest. Change 203 199.2 +0.4 320 309.1 +0.7

Regional Weather Henderson 43/34

Winston-Salem Durham 44/34 41/33 Asheville 44/30

Rocky Mt. 45/34

Greensboro 42/33 Raleigh 45/34 Charlotte 47/32

Fayetteville 47/36

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

Cape Hatteras 45/43

Wilmington 50/41

Regional Cities Today

Today

Thu.

Hi/Lo Wx Hi/Lo Wx

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

44/30 39/30 42/33 43/34 51/38 41/32 44/34 42/35 45/32 47/36 47/36 42/33 46/35 47/38 43/30

41/33 48/37 47/34 49/36 50/40 48/40 43/40 46/36 45/34 40/29 44/34 45/34 46/34 50/41 41/33

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

42/32 41/27 45/35 46/35 51/34 46/35 46/35 52/42 45/27 50/39 51/40 45/35 53/40 56/43 41/31

ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra 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

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

45/35 55/42 52/41 53/38 57/42 59/45 54/45 53/43 47/36 43/35 48/37 49/38 48/37 56/43 44/34

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

Today’s National Map

110s 100s 90s 80s 70s 60s 50s 40s 30s 20s 10s 0s

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

Cold Front

Stationary Front

Warm Front

Low Pressure

WHITE, from page one the Vance County Jail.” White explained that a steel building addition would be the most costeffective solution to take advantage of the limited space available on the back-side of the present site. “I’d like to see it in place or at least in progress within the next two years,” the Sheriff said. “We’re already looking now into what we need, but I don’t want to approach the commissioners until I’ve got my facts together,” he added. “I want to be able to tell them what I believe we need and why I believe we need it,” White said. He plans to give the board a time span, as well as a cost estimate. There are ways to add space without constructing “a whole new jail,” according to the Sheriff. “If we can do just a little bit of expansion and run people through the courts system faster, I think we’ll be okay,” White said. “We don’t want a log jam (of inmates) in the jail.” Since the complex is “kind of landlocked” in its current location, the Sheriff said, “We have to consider what will give us the best results while spending the least amount of money.” The renovation work has included connecting the old

jail to the new one which was built in 1992, according to White. He said the linkage of the two has improved the safety of the inmates, the employees at what is now one jail and the public, in general. When the challenger successfully ran against Sheriff R. Thomas Breedlove, White stressed the need to reduce the number of jail breaks. Now the incumbent, he vividly remembers the only such incident that has occurred on his watch. Three inmates escaped during the Mother’s Day weekend of 2006 “through a rat hole that hadn’t been plugged up before,” White said. He explained that it consisted of an outside fence and “the way part of the building was constructed.” One of the three escapees had used the same route twice before, White added. He said two-thirds of the trio were captured within an hour or two, while the remaining holdout stayed on the loose for eight or nine days. The Sheriff called the prospect of a future jail break “something I look at every day.” Shortly after becoming the sheriff in 2006, White shut down the old jail on the grounds that it was unhealthy, unsafe and “al-

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High Pressure

Yesterday’s National Extremes

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High: 75° in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Low: -22° in International Falls, Minn.

most impossible to secure.” When it came Tuesday to talking about why he planned to run again, White said: “I’m still a young man and I have a lot of experience. There’s still a lot of work to be done in terms of law enforcement.” White recently turned 54. Mentioning the bad economy across the country, the Sheriff said: “Desperate people do desperate things. Sometimes, they resort to violence and stealing the property of others, but we can’t give up.” Since he took office, salaries have increased about 20 percent “across the board,” White said. While the starting deputy’s salary was $23,400 a year in 2004-2005, White said, it is $28,392 today. Describing manpower as “always an issue,” he said crimes against children and senior citizens

ay yd r e Ev

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used to be somewhere else. “Now, they’re here, in our home, Vance County,” White added. “Manpower is not the answer to everything, but it is a major deterrent. Presence (of law enforcement) is critical.” Praising the emergence and success of the Community Watch program, he said “Now we’ve got a whole new group of eyes and ears looking out for each other, and that’s what it’s all about.” As for making known his re-election intentions, White said: “I knew when I took the oath the first time that I intended to run again.”

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N.C. SMART, a search and rescue group from Alamance County. The N.C. Missing Persons Center does not currently have information listed on Hargrove; however, a contact for the agency said Monday that no one was available this week to provide information about listings. Anyone with details about Hargrove’s whereabouts should call the police department at (252) 438-4141 or Vance County Communications at (252) 492-0202.

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One Henderson man remains missing while another who had been missing earlier this month reportedly has been located in Richmond, Va. David Lee Hargrove has not been seen by his family since Oct. 25 and remains missing, according to the Henderson Police Department. Lemone McGhee, for whom a Silver Alert was issued on Dec. 8, was located in Richmond several days later and has been removed from the North Carolina Department of Crime Control and Public Safety’s list of missing

persons, Major Charles Sparrow of the Vance County Sheriff’s Department said on Tuesday. Hargrove, 59, is reported to have a cognitive impairment. He is described as a black man, of medium complexion, 5-feet-10-inches tall, weighing 160 pounds, with black hair, a gray beard and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a burgundy jacket with a gray liner, blue jeans and blue sneakers. Ground searches have been conducted in those areas where Hargrove was known to circulate, including a search by scent dogs brought in by

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Local News

The Daily Dispatch

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

BERGER, from page one is more cohesive than the four of us in representing these four counties,” Berger said of serving constituents in Vance, Granville, Warren and Franklin. Crawford is one of the chairs of the House Appropriations Committee, Wray is one of the chairs of the House Insurance Committee and Allen chairs the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee. In the Senate, Berger co-chairs Health and Human Services Appropriations and serves on the Health Care Committee. Berger said he believes the nation is going to take the most significant step in the direction of health care access since the passage of Medicaid and Medicare in 1965. Berger was referring to the Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate, in a 60-39 vote along party lines, passing health care legislation Dec. 24. The vote was reported as a victory for President

Deaths

Obama that opens the way for working with the U.S. House on a bill to reduce the number of uninsured Americans and to rein in the insurance industry. “And I want to help facilitate the implementation of that program as it impacts North Carolinians,” Berger said. “I believe there will be thousands of people in my district that will be in a position now to be able to have health insurance, working North Carolinians that made too much money to qualify under the current Medicaid program and not enough for their own insurance,” Berger said. “I think there are a number of parts to this national health care bill that are going to be passed that require some level of state participation and I want to see that issue through” in terms of working with North Carolina’s response, Berger said. Regarding business development, Berger said, “We are in a difficult eco-

WRAY, from page one of home life that kid has.” “I try to get into the trench,” Wray said in describing his way of getting details about what is going on. Wray is part of an area delegation that includes state Rep. Jim Crawford and state Sen. Doug Berger. Crawford, D-Granville, also represents the southern part of Vance County and is one of the chairmen of the House Appropriations Committee. Berger,

D-Franklin, also represents Granville, Vance and Warren counties. Wray said Crawford and Berger have been a pleasure to work with. “And we’ve got a hell of a team,” Wray added. Wray is one of the vice chairs of the House Wildlife Resources Committee and is one of the vice chairs of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Natural and Economic Resources. The presence of John H.

BACKHOES, from page one possession of stolen goods and felonious conspiracy to commit larceny. He was given a single, active prison sentence of nine months to 11 months. Creech was ordered to pay restitution of more than $3,500. A number of other charges against Creech were voluntarily dismissed. The two charges against Nakia Darnell Purnell — felonious accessory after the fact — were voluntari-

ly dismissed. Stevenson pleaded guilty to two consolidated charges of felonous possession of stolen goods. He was given a single, active prison sentence of six months to eight months. A number of other charges against Stevenson were voluntarily dismissed. Candice Brooke Purnell pleaded guilty to two consolidated charges: felonious larceny by employee and felonious larceny.

nomic situation right now” in North Carolina, but he believes the situation is starting to stabilize. Berger said he believes the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, better known as the Obama administration’s economic stimulus package, has had a “positive impact” on District 7. Additionally, the Golden LEAF Foundation is initiating a program to provide available funds so small businesses can have capital to grow, Berger said. “That’s something that I’m very concerned about and want to help facilitate,” Berger said. The foundation is based in Rocky Mount and was created in 1999 to receive half the funds coming to North Carolina from the tobacco master settlement agreement that resulted from lawsuits against cigarette manufacturers over smoking-related diseases. Contact the writer at bwest@ hendersondispatch.com.

E. Edwards; and a brother, Allen Edwards. The family will receive friends today, from 1 to 2 p.m., at Flowers Funeral Home. All other times, they will be at the home of Butch and Dianne Edwards, 145 Willie Currin Road, Henderson. Serving as active pallbearers will be Boyd C. Edwards IV, Bryant Edwards, Patrick Mosley, Charlie Nalevaiko, David Severance, and Jamie Reese. Arrangements are by Flowers Funeral Home.

Mary Ball SMITHFIELD — Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today in First Baptist Church with the Revs. Lee Colbert and Bryan Harris officiating. The family will receive friends at the church immediately following the funeral service. A private burial will be in Riverside Cemetery. Surviving are her husband, A.J. Ball; sons, Jerry Ball of Smithfield and Brian Ball of Fuquay; daughter, Kristie Strickland of Princeton; brother, Raymond Newman of Statesville; sister, Elizabeth Harris of Henderson; and seven grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Building Fund at First Baptist Church, 202 S. Fourth St., Smithfield, N.C. 27577. Condolences may be sent to the family at parrishfh.com.

John N. Evans

Boyd C. Edwards Jr.

HENDERSON — Boyd Clark Edwards Jr., 77, forKerr Reservoir, Lake Gasmerly of Henderson, died ton, Roanoke Rapids Lake Monday, Dec. 28, 2009, and the Roanoke River at Universal Healthcare make District 27 unique, in Oxford. Born in Vance Wray added. County, he was the son of And Wray is one of the chairs of the House Insur- the late Martha Elizabeth Hicks Edwards and Boyd ance Committee. Clark Edwards Sr. He was Of his service on the latter panel, he said, “All I the husband of the late want is, I want everybody Lauwana Wilkerson Edto have a fair shake and I wards Bohrer and the late want the consumer to be Lillian Schuster Edwards. looked after.” He was a retired truck driver, a United States Contact the writer at bwest@ Army veteran of the Kohendersondispatch.com. rean War, and a member of the American Legion. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today at She was given a single, Flowers Funeral Chapel, conducted by the Rev. active prison sentence of five months to six months, Ricky Easter. Burial and was ordered to pay will follow in Cokesbury restitution of $27,185. United Methodist Church Candice Brooke Purcemetery. nell pleaded guilty to two Surviving are three counts of felonious larceny. daughters, Charissa E. She was given a single, Powell of Henderson, Athactive prison sentence of ena E. Williams of Delonfive months to six months. gia, Ga., and Barbara C. A number of other charges Overton, of Eureka, Calif.; against her were voluna son, Boyd C. “Butch” tarily dismissed. Edwards III of Henderson; a stepson, Taylor NorContact the writer at awheless@hendersondispatch.com. wood of Henderson; three sisters, Louise E. Paschall of Palmer Springs, Va., Betty Jean E. Severance of Reidsville, and Ann E. didn’t know the girl. Mosley of Wise; a brother, The injured man was James A. Edwards of Henhospitalized with moderderson; seven grandchilate head injuries. Amordren; and six great-grandmino says he is expected to children. He was preceded survive. in death by a son, Shaun

Tree surfer in California slams into car, injures head SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. (AP) — Authorities say a man in Southern California riding a Christmas tree being dragged behind an SUV slammed into a parked car and was hospitalized with head injuries. Orange County sheriff’s spokesman Jim Amormino says the 18-year-old and another teenager were Christmas tree surfing, a seasonal Internet fad. Capt. Greg McKeown says the car was going about 25 mph Sunday night when the female driver took a corner and

the tree veered wide and crashed. Amormino says the driver fled. Two SUV passengers and the other tree surfer told deputies they

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RALEIGH — John Nicholas “Nick” Evans, 57, of 1912 Carl Williamson Road, died Monday, Dec. 28, 2009, as a result of an automobile accident. He was born in Vance County to Mary Pace Evans and the late Ashby Evans. Memorial services will be held Thursday at L. Harold Poole Funeral Service Chapel with the family visitation to follow. Surviving are his wife, Mary Taylor Evans; son, Nicholas Taylor Evans of the home; mother, Mary Fuller Pace Evans of Henderson; brother, William Marshall Evans of Henderson; and sister, Mary Carolyn Evans Walser of Boca Raton, Fla. He was preceded in death by a brother, A.D. Evans Jr. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to NAMI Wake County, P.O. Box 12562, Raleigh, N.C. 27605; or to the Wake County Animal Adoption Center, payable to Wake County Government, 820 Beacon Lake Drive, Raleigh, N.C. 27610. Arrangements by L. Harold Poole Funeral Service & Crematory, 944 Old Knight Road, Knightdale, N.C.

Surviving are several nieces and nephews. Flowers are accepted or memorials may be made to Stovall United Methodist Church or to a charity of your choice. The visitation will be one hour prior to funeral services, from 10 a.m. until 10:45 a.m., at the funeral home. Arrangements are by Gentry-Newell and Vaughan Funeral Home of Oxford.

Thomas W. Johnson HENDERSON — Thomas Webster Johnson, 72, a resident of Senior Citizens Nursing Home, and a former resident of Brodnax, Va., died Monday, Nov. 23, 2009, at the University of North Carolina Hospital. Born in Brunswick County, Va., on May 26, 1937, he was the son of the late Ernest Thomas Johnson and Gracie Lee Whitley Johnson. He was retired from the City of Brodnax, Va. A private burial will be held by the family at the Johnson Family Cemetery in Brodnax, Va. He is survived by a daughter, Shelia Orr of Henderson; a son, Robert P. Bolton of Henderson; a sister, Lillie Rose Moore of Lawrenceville, Va.; three brothers, Ernest Johnson and Donald Johnson, both of Brodnax, Va., and Ronald Johnson of Lawrenceville, Va.; and three grandchildren. Arrangements are by J.M. White Funeral Home.

Bobbie E. Rogers SPRING HOPE — Bobbie E. Rogers, 66, died Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2009, in Washington, D.C. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by Garnes and Toney Funeral Home.

Mary C. Gooch OXFORD — Mary Ann Cole Gooch, 89, died Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2009. She was a native of Granville County and the daughter of the late Jim and Moriah Beasley Cole. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday at Gentry-Newell and Vaughan Funeral Home Chapel by the Rev. John Yount. Burial will follow in Bullock Cemetery in Stem.

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GLAUCOMA’S GENETIC UNDERPINNINGS Individuals of African heritage are at greater risk for glaucoma. In fact, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness among African-Americans, with a prevalence rate of close to 5% of the population. Thus, it should come as welcome news that researchers have recently identified the gene variants on chromosome 2 that are associated with the vision-robbing disease. Now that the gene variants that contribute to the development of glaucoma in African-Americans have been isolated, researchers may have a clearer path toward developing earlier diagnoses and new treatments. In the meantime, it is important to be examined regularly for this, and other, eye diseases. While there is no cure or way to reverse glaucomarelated vision loss, the disease can be managed. Prescribing medical treatment for glaucoma requires a complex decisionmaking process that involves the patient, the severity of the disease, the therapeutic options available, and their potential side effects. Don’t let glaucoma steal your eyesight. Annual testing is the only sure path to early detection. At FOUR COUNTY EYE ASSOCIATES, we believe that everyone should schedule regular annual eye exams. When is the last time you had a comprehensive eye examination? Call 492-8021 to schedule an appointment. We’re located at 451 Ruin Creek Road, Henderson Professional Plaza, Suite 204. P.S. Left untreated, glaucoma causes the gradual and irreversible loss of peripheral vision.

Business & Farm

The Daily Dispatch

Area

A DAY ON WALL STREET

Stocks

11,000

Dec. 29, 2009

Dow Jones industrials

10,000

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

9,000 8,000

-1.67 S

10,545.41

Pct. change from previous: -0.02%

High 10,580.33

7,000

Low 10,544.28

Dec. 29, 2009

2,400

Nasdaq composite

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

-2.68 2,288.40

Pct. change from previous: -0.12%

High 2,294.75

Low 2,286.57

Dec. 29, 2009

Standard & Poor’s 500 -1.58 1,126.20

Pct. change from previous: -0.14%

High 1,130.38

SOURCE: SunGard

1,400

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

Low 1,126.08 AP

MARKET ROUNDUP 122909: Market

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

Nasdaq; stand-alone; 2c x 4 1/2 inches; 96 mm x 114 mm; staff Aluminum - $0.9978 per lb., London Metal NEW YORK (AP) — Key currency exEditors: 5:25:10 PM EST change rates Tuesday: All figures as of: Exch. close; Coppermay -$3.2063 Cathode full plate, LME. NOTE: Figures reflect market fluctuations after not match other AP content Copper $3.2960 N.Y. Merc spot Tue Dollar vs: ExchgRate PvsDay Lead - $2326.00 metric ton, London Metal Yen 91.96 91.59 Exch. Euro $1.4351 $1.4384 Zinc - $1.1294 per lb., London Metal Exch. Pound $1.5903 $1.6003 Gold - $1106.00 Handy & Harman (only Swiss franc 1.0370 1.0350 daily quote). Canadian dollar 1.0434 1.0429 Gold - $1097.00 troy oz., NY Merc spot Mexican peso 13.0770 12.9390 Tue. Metal Price PvsDay Silver - $17.190 Handy & Harman (only NY Merc Gold $1097.00 $1107.20 daily quote). Silver - $17.091 troy oz., N.Y. Merc spot NY HSBC Bank US $1097.00 $1106.00 NY Merc Silver $17.091 $17.543 Tue. Platinum -$1475.00 troy oz., N.Y. (contract). Nonferrous Platinum -$1467.10 troy oz., N.Y. Merc spot NEW YORK (AP) — Spot nonferrous metal Tue. n.q.-not quoted, n.a.-not available r-revised prices Tuesday:

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 Wendy’s Establis Delhaize

60.40 28.34 52.16 15.12 25.56 57.74 32.65 17.39 68.84 10.11 15.44 29.27 131.85 64.94 27.21 2.95 7.35 23.61 3.30 61.10 19.85 61.58 41.40 4.87 53.60 53.67 17.29 3.81 20.56 47.81 33.43 53.55 54.11 26.68 4.75 76.18

Two more companies pass on N.C. incentives RALEIGH (AP) — A pair of North Carolina specialty outsourcing companies are forgoing taxpayer grants as the recession hits health care and financial services differently. A state committee that oversees the major incentives program used to lure expanding companies on

Tuesday decided to cancel a 2006 deal with Hewitt Associates Inc. The Illinois-based company had planned to bring 900 new jobs to Charlotte. Those positions didn’t happen as the global financial crisis hit the city’s banks hard. Hewitt could have collected up to $8 million if it

created the jobs and kept them for 10 years. The committee also accepted an offer by Durham-based global pharmaceutical testing firm Quintiles Transnational to postpone collecting nearly $300,000 in a gesture to help out North Carolina’s finances.

Va. Gov.: No delay in offshore exploration RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell wants the federal government to move forward with offshore energy exploration off of Virginia’s coast. In a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, McDonnell argued against any further delay in an offshore lease sale scheduled for 2011. The Republican

contends the exploration for oil and natural gas resources in an environmentally responsible manner is important in this down economy. In the letter released Tuesday, McDonnell points to a 2005 Old Dominion University forecast that offshore natural gas production alone would create more than 2,500

jobs over a 10-year period, and generate $7.8 billion in capital investments. The study also estimated the lease area contains up to 500 million barrels of oil.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Report: Credit card payments fall further behind in November NEW YORK (AP) — More U.S. credit card users fell further behind on their payments in November, Moody’s Investor’s Services said Tuesday. The charge-off rate on U.S. credit cards, as measured by Moody’s Credit Card Index, rose to 10.56 percent last month after falling for the two previous months. October’s charge-off rate was 10.04 percent. The charge-off rate measures those credit card account balances written off as uncollectable, as an annualized percentage of total outstanding principal balance. The record-high of

10.76 percent was reached in June. The delinquency rate also rose, reaching 6.2 percent in November from 6.1 percent in October. That includes all credit card payments that are between 30 days and 180 days late, but have not yet been written off. This figured peaked at 6.4 percent reached in March. One positive sign was that while the number of people who are late paying rose, the dollar amount of delinquent balances is lower than a year ago for cards issued by three of the six largest card issuers. The early stage delinquency rate, which measures pay-

ments that are 30 to 60 days late, slipped to 1.6 percent from 1.66 percent in October. Moody’s said this measure is volatile and the improvement may not indicate any consumer trends. Moody’s expects delinquencies to continue to rise through the winter. The charge-off rate is forecast to peak at between 12 percent and 13 percent in mid-2010. The principal payment rate, or the average amount of principal cardholders repay each month, slipped to 16.42 percent in November from 17.31 percent in October.

Hacker pleads guilty to massive credit card theft BOSTON (AP) — A computer hacker who helped orchestrate one of the largest credit card thefts in U.S. history has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and wire fraud in the last of three cases brought by federal prosecutors. Prosecutors say Albert Gonzalez, of Miami, invaded the computer systems of several major retailers and stole tens of millions of credit and debit card numbers. Gonzalez entered a guilty plea in U.S. District Court in Boston on Tuesday in a case involving unauthorized access to computers of Maine-based Hannaford supermarkets and other retailers. He pleaded guilty in September to charges from two other retailer-hacking cases. Federal prosecutors are

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The Daily Dispatch

VANCE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE Arrests • Jerome McDaniel, 41, of 331 Dick Faines Road was arrested Dec. 26. Misdemeanor communicating threats. Secured bond was set at $300. Court date Jan. 4. • Debbie Vershon Hutcherson, 41, of 184 Crowder Lane was served Dec. 26 with a criminal summons. Misdemeanor worthless check. No bond listed. Court date Jan. 25. • Nicholas Edward Morris, 28, of 4094 Satterwhite Point Road was served Dec. 25 with an order for arrest. Misdemeanor failure to appear on a loud music charge. Secured bond was set at $100. Court date Feb. 16. • David E. Hawkins, 27, of 3091 Weldons Mill road was served Dec. 24 with a criminal summons. Simple worthless check, 2 counts. • Elaine Reed, 51, of 59 Deer Chase Lane was served Dec. 24 with a criminal summons. Misdemeanor larceny. Court date Jan. 19. • John Christmas, 17, of 2241 Thomas Road was arrested Dec. 23. Misdemeanor communicating threats. Misdemeanor cyber stalking. Custody release to parents. Court date Dec. 30. • Lela G. Hunt, 17, was served Dec. 23 with an order for arrest. Misdemeanor failure to appear. Secured bond was set at $200. Court date Feb. 25. • Brian Thomas West, 31, of 570 St. Andrews Church Road was arrested Dec. 23. Misdemeanor failure to appear on charge of driving while license revoked, 2 counts, in Warren County. Secured bond was set at $1,000. Court date Jan. 27. • Kinsey Adcock, 19, of 9731 Hicksboro Road, Oxford, was served Dec. 23 with an order for arrest. Secured bond was set at $1,000. Court date Jan. 26. • O’Bryant Williams, 334, of Lot 2 Brookwood Lane was arrested Dec. 23. Misdemeanor simple possession of a schedule II substance. Unsecured bond was set at $1,000. Court date Jan. 4. • Tywon D. Hargrove, 19, of 415 E. Andrews Ave. Apt. 4 was arrested Dec. 23. Felony false bomb report. Secured bond was set at $2,000. Court date Jan. 11. • Micheal Meadows, 21, of 1090 Buchanan Road, Manson, was arrested Dec. 23. Misdemeanor injury to personal property. Unsecured bond was set at $500. Court date Dec. 28.

• Arthur Lee Jones, 74, of 3349 Keene St. was arrested Dec. 28. Misdemeanor communicating threats. Unsecured bond was set at $500. Court date Jan. 12. • Tiffany Marie Long, 22, of 1486 Southerland Mill Road was served Dec. 28, with an order for arrest. Misdemeanor failure to appear. Secured bond was set at $500. Court date Feb. 8. • Koran J. Brown, 23, of 422 Carolina Ave. was arrested Dec. 28. Misdemeanor communicating threats, 2 counts. Secured bond was set at $500. Court date Jan. 11. • Destiny Marie Lutz, 23, of 202 Oak Forest Drive was served Dec. 28 with an order for arrest. Misdemeanor failure to appear on charge of misdemeanor larceny. Secured bond was set at $1,000. Court date Jan. 8. • Vasserie Teasley, 38, of 2776 Charlie Grissom Road was served Dec. 28 with an order for arrest. Misdemeanor failure to appear on charge of failure to return rental property. Secured bond was set at $300. Court date Jan. 5. • John Howard Ellington, 39, of 705 Hunt Club Road Lot 14 was served Dec. 28 with three orders for arrest. Felony habitual offender. Misdemeanor failure to appear on charge of driving while license revoked. Misdemeanor fictitious registration card. Secured bond was set at $100,000. Unsecured bond was set at $1,250. Court dates Jan. 19 and Feb. 2.

Larceny • Randolph Crews Jr., 29, of 1620 Satterwhite Point Road reported Dec. 26 the theft from the residence of the following items and their values: 24-inch RCA TV, $250; Playstation II, $200; DVD player, $100; Lasko cyclonic ceramic heater, $55, 14-karat gold necklace with diamond heart charm, $625; Playstation II 2008 NCAA March Madness game, $40; Northern Vance High School laptop, no value listed. Damage to a computer hard drive, scanner/printer and door not estimated. • Jesse Wayne Burkett, 23, of 57 Horseshoe Bend Road Apt. H. reported Dec. 23 the theft from the residence of the following items and their values: XBox 360, $250; cash, $2320; 2 XBox controllers, $100; and RCA 5-CD player boom box, $80. Damage to a kitchen window estimated at $100.

HENDERSON POLICE DEPARTMENT Arrests • Daniel Kearney, 40, of 607 Breckenridge St. was served with an order for arrest on Dec. 28. Driving while license revoked. Driving while impaired. Secured bond was set at $2,500. Court date Jan. 11. • Connie Venable, 44, of 413 N. Clark St. was arrested Dec. 28. Misdemeanor assault on a law enforcement officer. Misdemeanor resist, obstruct, delay. Unsecured bond was set at $1,000. Court date Feb. 18. • James Branch, 22, of 911 Bridges St. was served with an order for arrest on Dec. 28. Failure to appear. Secured bond was set at $2,700. Court date Feb. 2. • Lekelvin Turner, 31, of 944 Patton Circle was served Dec. 28 with a criminal summons. Misdemeanor communicating threats. Court date Jan. 26. • Delqualia Meineshia Moses, 21, of 204 Little Mill Road was served Dec. 28 with an order for arrest. Secured bond was set at $50. Court date Jan. 26.

Larceny • Clarence Harris III, 51, of 857 Eastside Drive reported Dec. 28 the theft from the residence of the following items and their values: Playstation game console, $400; Magnavox color TV, $200; various jewelry, $2,500;

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Police arrest man in death in 2003 of elderly woman SHELBY (AP) — A North Carolina man appeared in court Tuesday to face charges in the 2003 killing of an elderly woman and police are investigating a possible connection with two other slayings. Multiple media outlets report that Shelby police arrested Donald Eugene Borders and accused him of killing 79-year-old Margaret Tessneer. The 50-year-old Borders is charged with murder, rape and breaking and entering. Tessneer was found dead in her bed in 2003, her phone line ripped out and the door unlocked, with over 25 bruises on her body.

Tessneer was one of three elderly women found dead under similar circumstances in a four-month period in the city about 50 miles west of Charlotte. Police told the Charlotte Observer they are trying to determine if Borders is also responsible for the murders of 85-year-old Lottie Ledford and 87-year-old Lillian Mullinax. In all three cases, the phone lines were cut and the doors to the women’s’ homes were found unlocked, something family members said was unusual. The Star of Shelby reported that no items were stolen from the homes and there were no signs of struggle.

Police interviewed Borders in 2004 as a witness but said then he was not a suspect. Police would not say what led to Borders’ arrest Monday, just that they began investigating him more seriously in the last few weeks. He is being held without bond. Borders had been living in a Charlotte homeless shelter before his arrest, according to The Star. Police say they collected DNA evidence from Tessneer’s body using a rape kit. Autopsies for all three women were inconclusive. A message left for Borders’ court-appointed defense attorney, David Teddy, was not immediately returned.

Police ID victim; charge hockey player STALLINGS (AP) — Police in North Carolina have identified a man killed last week and have charged a former Charlotte minor league hockey player with his death. The Charlotte Observer reported Tuesday that authorities identified 32-yearold Yuriy Anatolevich

Kharutokov as the victim of a December 20 killing. Officials say Kharutokov is a Russian national from Kazakhstan. His body was found behind an auto body shop in Stallings, about 15 miles southeast of Charlotte. Former Charlotte Checkers hockey player Bogdan

Rudenko was arrested after a four-hour Christmas Day standoff with police in Colorado Springs. The 32-year-old is awaiting extradition to North Carolina. Rudenko is a native of Kazakhstan and lives in Charlotte. He played right wing for the Checkers.

OXFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT Arrests • Lacie Downey, 46, of 8589 N.C. 96 N., was booked Dec. 18. Misdemeanor larceny. Misdemeanor trespassing. Bond was set at $1,000. • Chunda Perry, 29, of 865 Lamb St., Henderson, was booked Dec. 18. Misdemeanor larceny. Misdemeanor possession of stolen goods. Perry also was served two misdemeanor failure to appear warrants. The total bond was set at $3,800. • Dominique Brandon, 23, of 227-A Henderson St., on Dec. 18 was served a misdemeanor failure to appear warrant. Bond was pre-set at $500. • Timothy Marrow, 41, of 3501 Winwood Circle, on Dec. 20 was served a misdemeanor probation violation warrant. Bond was preset at $7,500. • Pierre McCaden, 34, of 205 Fourth St., was booked Dec. 22. Misdemeanor harassing telephone calls. Misdemeanor trespassing. Bond was set at $300. • Marvin Williams, 52, of 7650 Noel Tuck Road, was booked Dec. 22. Misdemeanor larceny. No bond was set.

Unsupervised toddler hit by car in N.C.

BURLINGTON (AP) — Officials in North Carolina say an unsupervised toddler has been struck by a car. The News & Record of to a nonexistent construcGreensboro reported that a tion company for unfinished 23-month-old was hit by a work following Hurricane car in Burlington on MonFloyd in 1999. He resigned day afternoon. Police say in August. the child and a sibling had Princeville is a town of been left alone in a parked about 2,000 established at car and that the child got the end of the Civil War. out of the car and started It was mostly destroyed by walking across the street. flooding after Hurricane The child has been flown Floyd, then rebuilt. to Duke University Medical Center for treatment. There is no word on the toddler’s condition. Police have not released Clearwater Police the child’s name. spokeswoman Elizabeth No charges have been Watts says there were filed against the driver. ongoing tensions between mother and daughter. Ault has been taken to a juvenile facility and Samantha Broadhead is undergoing psychiatric assessment. There was no answer at a listing for an Ault in Clearwater.

Former town manager turns himself in PRINCEVILLE (AP) — The former manager of the first North Carolina town established by blacks has surrendered to police following a weeklong manhunt. The Rocky Mount Telegram reported that 61-year-old Sam Knight turned himself in to the Edgecombe County Sheriff’s

Department Monday on a probation violation charge. The former Princeville town manager pleaded guilty in September to obtaining property by false pretense and was sentenced to more than two years probation. Knight was accused of sending more than $25,000

Girl, 11, boyfriend, 15, plot to kill mother CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — An 11-year-old Florida girl and her 15-year-old boyfriend have been charged with attempted homicide after police say they tried to kill the girl’s mother. Samantha Broadhead and Jack Ault are also charged with arson after Clearwater detectives say they poured gasoline on

Nancy Broadhead’s bedroom floor and bed while she slept, then lit it. She awoke to a smoke alarm early Tuesday and escaped, but had serious burns and smoke inhalation. She is expected to survive. Detectives say Samantha Broadhead and Ault stole her car, but Samantha came back.

gold ring with Juanita, $430; gold ring with children’s names, $350; gold hoop earrings, $160; 2 gold watches, $299; and gold cross pendant with diamonds, $360. Damage to a side door estimated at $300. 1020 S. Garnett St. • Henderson, NC 27536 • Terrell Kent Calloway, 44, 1020 S. Garnett St. • Henderson, NC 27536 of Fletcher, reported Dec. 28 Skip Satterwhite the theft from a vehicle of 5 Account Executive deer calls valued at $60; fleece camouflage backpack valued at Phone: 252-438-8165 Account Executive Fax: 252-438-6640 $50; Bushnell binoculars valued Phone: 252-438-8165 • Fax: 252-438-6640 at $200; and Bushnell range skipsatterwhite@ncol.net Cell: 919-522-3825 finder valued at $300. Damage www.westerinsurance.com skipsatterwhite@ncol.net • www.westerinsurance.com to a rear passenger window not estimated. 1020 55, S. Garnett St. • Henderson, NC 27536 • Wester Dale Brown, of Lexington, reported Dec. 28 the theft from a vehicle of a Remington 30-06 rifle valued at $1,500; Account Executive 3.5-inch Insignia digital photo frame; and cash, $20. Phone: Damage252-438-8165 • Fax: 252-438-6640 to passenger window estimated Cell: 919-522-3825 at $100. skipsatterwhite@ncol.net • www.westerinsurance.com • Billy Harris Trucking Co. Inc., 1348 Hwy. 561, Louisburg, reported Dec. 28 the theft from 203 Wright Ave. of a White 53-foot tractor trailer valued at $6,000.

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EDC, from page one identify the person recommended. That would occur when the EDC presented the recommendation at the commissioners’ monthly on Jan. 4, he said. Amanda Martin, legal advisor for the N.C. Press Association, advised The Daily Dispatch that it appears the EDC acted in violation of the N.C. open meetings law by not revealing the name of the person recommended to the board of commissioners. Names of applicants for a position may be withheld but once a decision is made, the names may not be withheld, she said. Section 143-318.13 of the law prohibits “acting by reference,” that is, taking action by reference to a secret transaction in such a way that someone attending the public meeting can not understand the action. By identifying the person recommended only by referring to discussions that took place in closed session, the EDC appeared to have violated this section. Fleming said Tuesday that he felt the name should have been made available to the media and public after the vote on Monday, but the members of the EDC wanted the board of commissioners to make the announcement. The county clerk provided Papa’s name and information about his qualifications. Papa is director of Market Development for Helm Builders-General Contractors in Apex. In earlier positions, he was manager of Planning and Business Development for ESP Associates, PA - Engineers, Surveyors and Planners in Raleigh; and a gubernatorial appointee to the Economic Growth, Resource Protection and Planning Commission for the State of Maryland. Papa holds a bachelor’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from East

Major changes in area recruiters The Tri-County area has been undergoing major changes in business and industrial recruiters. In November 2008, the Vance County Commission learned Economic Development Director Benny Finch would retire, effective at the start of this year, ending his quarter of a century on the job. In November of this year, Jim Hinkle, one of 32 applicants seeking to replace Finch, began as interim economic development director under a three-month contract. In January 2008, Leon Turner announced he would bow out after more than a decade as Granville County’s economic development director. Turner bid farewell in June 2008. Turner was succeeded by Jay Tilley, who retired from his position as an economic development representative with the N.C. Department of Commerce’s business and industry development team. Carolina University and an M.B.A. from Frostburg State University in Maryland. He has additional graduate study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Johns Hopkins University. The Warren County Personnel Committee recommended a salary of $65,000 per year plus an assigned vehicle. If approved, Papa will be available to begin work on Jan. 19.

News Briefs Obama: ‘A systemic failure occurred’ if explosives on plane

suspect to get as far as he did. Obama says he wants to hear exactly what went wrong.

event in Sioux City. King says there would be plenty of time for Palin to mount a campaign.

Scientists begin testing mussels for pollutants

HONOLULU (AP) — President Barack Obama says he wants a preliminary accounting completed by Thursday into what went wrong that allowed explosives to Obama make it onto a Detroit-bound airliner last week. He says “it’s essential we diagnosis the problems quickly.” The president said Tuesday “a systemic failure has occurred” that led a “catastrophic breach of security” and allowed a 23-year-old Nigerian to board a plane to the United States despite warnings from the suspect’s father. The suspect — described by Obama as “a known extremist” — is accused of trying to destroy the plane on Christmas Day as it approached Detroit. Obama says deficiencies in the system allowed the

Iowa lawmaker predicts Palin run for White House

Vt. judge: Birth mom must give child to ex-partner

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa Republican congressman says he thinks former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will seek the GOP presidential nomination in 2012 and that she’s among a few people who could win the state’s leadoff caucuses. U.S. Rep. Steve King said Tuesday he initially thought Palin ended her political career when she resigned as governor last summer. But he said during a taping of an Iowa Public Television show that she’s now in a far stronger position to succeed. King says her booksigning tour has brought her enormous attention, and he complimented her political instincts. Palin has only been in Iowa once since the election, for a book-signing

RUTLAND, Vt. (AP) — A Vermont judge has ruled that the birth mother of a 7-year-old Virginia girl must transfer custody of the child to the woman’s former lesbian partner. Family Court Judge William Cohen ordered Lisa Miller of Winchester, Va., to turn over child Isabella to Janet Jenkins of Fair Haven on Friday in Virginia. Miller and Jenkins were joined in a Vermont civil union in 2000. Isabella was born to Miller through artificial insemination in 2002. The couple broke up in 2003, and Miller moved to Virginia, renounced homosexuality and became an evangelical Christian.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California scientists hope studying 180 black mussels pried from algae-covered rocks in San Francisco Bay will provide clues into how many drugs and chemicals are polluting waters across the nation. Mussels filter water and store contaminants in their tissue, providing a record of pollution in the environment. The creatures are being culled from 80 sites in California as part of a pilot study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Regulators are concerned about an array of chemicals and pharmaceuticals that can accumulate in the tissue of animals and people. Recent studies found levels of a flame retardant waters off of every U.S. coast.

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Opinion

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Editorial Board: James Edwards, Publisher • jedwards@hendersondispatch.com Luke Horton, Editor • 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 Praise ye the Lord. Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord’s name [is] to be praised. Psalm 113: 1-3

Our Opinion

EDC acted outside law What’s done in the dark will eventually be brought to light. When it comes to government agencies, it sometimes takes longer than it should. On Monday, the Warren County Economic Development Commission met to consider candidates for the position of executive director of economic development. After calling the meeting to order, the commission went into closed session to discuss personnel matters. When the commissioners returned to open session, they simply made a motion to recommend for the executive director position “the candidate we agreed on.” Obviously, they discussed the candidate in closed session and agreed to recommend that candidate to the county commissioners, who have the authority to hire. They have every right to discuss personnel matters in closed session — the law gives them that right. But they do not have the right to secretly refer to their recommended candidate when making the motion in open session. State law prohibits members of a government body from acting by reference, which is to take action in open session by secretly referencing what was done in closed session. The law states: members of a public body shall not deliberate, vote, or otherwise take action upon any matter by reference to a letter, number or other designation, or other secret device or method, with the intention of making it impossible for persons attending a meeting of the public body to understand what is being deliberated, voted, or acted upon. Clearly, the commission made it impossible for those attending Monday’s meeting to know who they were recommending for the executive director position. Clearly, the commission acted in violation of state law. Only after a Daily Dispatch reporter pointed out the violation Tuesday did the commission make the name of the candidate public. Government officials would do well to remember that they serve the people, and the people’s business should always be done in the light.

Quotable “It’s absolutely critical that we learn from this incident and take the necessary measures to prevent future acts of terrorism.” — President Barack Obama in response to an attempted attack on a U.S. airliner, saying he has directed his national security team to keep up the pressure on those overseas who aim to attack the United States.

What’s your opinion? The Daily Dispatch welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be signed, include the author’s city of residence, and should be limited to 300 words. Please include a telephone number for verification. Letters can be accepted by e-mail, but city of residence and a phone number for verification purposes still must be included.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

A genuine American hero Ah, the new year is upon us. The media has been featuring stories of rich, famous people who died in 2009. Let me share the story of one of the wealthiest fellows I ever met. His name was John Swiatek. He died a week ago, just shy of his 84th birthday. John was born in 1925, the only son in a family with six daughters. His family lived in a row house on Pittsburgh’s North Side. He was barely 5 when the Depression hit. His family struggled for years. He didn’t know the joy of indoor plumbing until he was in his teens. By financial measures, his family was poor, but John didn’t know it. They had a roof over their heads, enough food to eat — they had laughter and caring neighbors. He graduated from high school in 1942 at age 17 and passed on a college basketball scholarship to enlist in the Navy. World War II was under way. He was on a ship in the South Pacific when a typhoon hit. The ship sank in enemy territory. John hid in a cave

and scavenged for food at night. He survived the ordeal. One day, while walking down the streets of Iwo Jima, he bumped into his brother-inlaw, who was also serving in the Navy. They enjoyed a brief reunion. His brotherin-law was killed the next day, when the Japanese sank the ship on Tom which he Purcell served. John Distributed by Cagle Cartoons made it home, though. He went on a blind date with Anna Mae O’Toole. He was of 100-percent Polish heritage, she of 100-percent Irish heritage. It was a match made in heaven. They would have four children and 12 grandchildren. John took work as a fireman. His first fire was in a warehouse on Pittsburgh’s

South Side. He and the veteran fireman who was training him were fighting the blaze when a high-voltage wire broke loose. The wire whipped about violently. It just missed John but hit the fireman next to him, killing the other fireman instantly. John worked as a fireman the next 23 years. He always had at least two jobs — sometimes three. He set aside every penny to provide for his family — he sent his kids to private schools and saved for their college educations. Material things never impressed him. He had a modest home, a basic car. All he cared about was his family. John never became famous or financially well-to-do. He never got embroiled in salacious scandals that put his mug all over the tube. He was an honest man who paid his bills on time. He was a firm but loving father, his oldest son said, and his example had a powerful impact on his children and grandchildren. He was a good neighbor.

He became the surrogate father to a young man living next door, whose father had been taken early. Our civilization was built on the shoulders of such fellows — men who toil, sacrifice and provide in silence. John had no way of knowing it but the decisions he made in his life would benefit total strangers. His honesty and goodness would take root in his children and his children’s children — character traits that are benefiting my family now. My sister married John’s youngest son, a good man like his father. As this year winds down and the media dwell on the rich and famous, I thought it important to share the story of a genuine American hero. As I said, John Swiatek was one of the wealthiest fellows I ever met. Tom Purcell is a humor columnist for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Visit Tom on the Web at www.TomPurcell. com or e-mail him at Purcell@caglecartoons.com.

Oh, yes, the Copenhagen conference The other day a friend asked us if I’d written about the Copenhagen conference on climate change, carbon control, environmental technology, the ecological future of Spaceship Earth, cabbages and kings, and the 101 other Very Important Things covered by that huge, long-awaited and now suddenly fizzled international gabfest. No, I hadn’t written about it. Maybe because it ended not with a bang but with a whimper heard ‘round the world: a flurry of non-binding agreements, aka vague misunderstandings. It was the biggest anticlimax since Geraldo the Great Rivera opened Al Capone’s vault to find little more than dust. Any actual policies to come out of Copenhagen promise to be as empty. To sum up the essential deal made at Copenhagen: The developed world sort of promises to give the undeveloped one $30 billion over the next three years — plus $100 billion a year after 2020 — in exchange for its separate but equally nebulous promise not to develop too quickly. As with Obamacare, the theoretical benefits are to come first, then the real pain by some always-delayable deadline. It’s more convenient that way. Just charge it to some future generation. Besides the cocksure confidence the delegates displayed in man’s ability to reset the world’s thermostat, this kind of deal-making in which no one takes the deal made very seriously was the one consistent thread in the tangled web woven at Copenhagen. There is consolation to be taken in the grand fizzle at

Copenhagen. For there is something worse than the conference’s failure. And that would have been its success at slowing the world’s economic recovery and so dooming still more in the Third World to the bitter fruits of abject poverty: more malnutrition, more disease, and more chaos and instability in general. Doing nothing has certain advantages over doing the wrong thing, especially on a grand and confusing scale. BePaul sides, the Greenberg failure of this lavish Tribune Media conference Services means the delegates can now anticipate many more equally elaborate confabs around the world on the public’s tab, complete with equally hyped media coverage and just as inconsequential results. Nice work — or play — if you can get it. Maybe I hadn’t written anything of substance about the grand conference at Copenhagen because it proved so insubstantial. My long established policy is, when I have nothing to say about a subject, I try not to say it. Maybe because I’ve read too many editorials over the years that, having nothing to say, make the grave mistake of saying it. At length. It doesn’t exactly make for fascinating reading. There were doubtless plenty of agreements made

at Copenhagen but the major ones were non-binding. Those are the kind of deals that delegates embrace enthusiastically in their speeches but take care not to sign lest their countries be held to their word. They’re the kind of oral agreements that the irrepressible Sam Goldwyn, Hollywood mogul and Mr. Malaprop himself, once described as not worth the paper they’re written on. Or rather not written on. Almost coincident with the grand conference at Copenhagen a treasure trove of leaked documents appeared out of the very center of global alarmism over climate change, the Climatic Research Unit of East Anglia University at Norwich, England, which is “widely recognized as one of the world’s leading institutions concerned with the study of natural and anthropogenic climate change,” according to its Web site. These days it’s widely recognized as a center for the suppression of any and all dissenting views about the causes of global warming. If this is science, what would dogma be? Conspiracies to suppress scientific dissent scarcely ended with Galileo’s trial, but at least the church eventually repented and begged pardon. There is little if any sign that the wannabe Al Gores at East Anglia, more politicians than scientists, have been chastened by what’s come to be known as Climategate. Instead, they have adopted a variation of the Dan Rather defense: falsified maybe but accurate. Barack Obama’s appearance at the last minute was

the final, flashy touch at Copenhagen as he made much ado about much of nothing. The president hasn’t demonstrated his diplomatic finesse so convincingly since he went to the same city not long ago to not get the Olympics for Chicago. Which may have been a blessing in disguise, too. (The traffic in the Loop is already bad enough.) Naturally the president and his handlers came back from Copenhagen declaring a great victory — Carbon Control in our Time! But surely even they didn’t believe it. Certainly the Europeans didn’t. As soon as the Grand Conference concluded, the market for carbon-control permits on the European continent dropped dramatically, as if investors were confirming that the countries represented at Copenhagen weren’t serious about controlling carbon emissions. No poll is more reliable than the market, where people put their money where their opinions are. It’s a great test of sincerity. The final accord at Copenhagen didn’t specify, not in writing, how much big countries like the United States and mainland China are now supposed to reduce their carbon emissions. Nor did the conference decide precisely how much all the other countries were going to sacrifice in order to clean up the world’s climate. Just about the only thing the delegates could agree on was to jet off to the next world climate-change conference, which is already scheduled for Mexico City, the one sure effect of which will be to add still more carbon to the Earth’s atmosphere.

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News From The Light Side WEDNESDAY Morning / Early Afternoon 12/30/09