THURSDAY
SPRING DAZE: Annual festival returns to Thomasville. 1B
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The 6th District has the highest concentration of Republican voters among the 13 congressional districts in the state. The district covers all of Randolph and Moore counties and parts of Rowan, Davidson, Guilford and Alamance counties.
126th year No. 119
DAVIDSON FATALITY: Girl, 12, dies from injuries in accident. 1B
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BETTER TUNE: Elvis fan improves on track. 1D
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Challenger accused
AT A GLANCE Rep. Howard Coble, R-6th, faces four challengers in Tuesday’s Republican primary – Guilford County Commissioner Billy Yow, Moore County physician James Taylor, furniture showroom manager Cathy Brewer Hinson of High Point and Jeff Phillips of Greensboro. The Republican winner will face Democratic challenger Sam Turner of Salisbury in the Nov. 2 general election.
April 29, 2010
Point Enterprise. She also accused Taylor of offering her a role in Washington, D.C., if she bowed out of the race and Taylor captured the seat in the Nov. 2 general election. Hinson, who was the first RepubBY PAUL B. JOHNSON lican 6th District challenger to anENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER nounce her candidacy in early NoHIGH POINT – Republican 6th Dis- vember, said she hasn’t accepted trict congressional candidate Cathy money from Taylor and isn’t getting Brewer Hinson on Wednesday ac- out of the race. “He (Taylor) tried to buy Cathy Hincused one of her fellow challengers, Moore County physician James son, but I am not for sale,” she said. Taylor denied the accusation. Taylor, of offering her money to “Our campaign has never done bow out of the primary. Hinson, one of four Republican anything illegal or unethical. It is candidates challenging 13-term Rep. very unfortunate she has resorted Howard Coble in Tuesday’s primary, to saying things that are wildly unsaid Taylor offered her $1,740 to stop true,” Taylor’s campaign said in a campaigning and on several occa- statement Wednesday. Whether a payment to a congressions pressured her to get out of the race. The $1,740 figure corresponds sional candidate to bow out of a to the candidate filing fee for a congressional bid, Hinson told The High RACE, 2A
WHO’S NEWS
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Hinson: Opponent offered her money to bow out of race
Janet Cecil, administrative assistant for the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club, was named Administrative Professional of the Year by the YWCA of High Point. The announcement came as part of the recent YWCA Administrative Professionals Luncheon.
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Sixth District Republican congressional candidate Cathy Brewer Hinson of High Point speaks at a press conference on Wednesday.
INSIDE
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Tanning tax
FOR THE KIDS: Police climb Krispy Kreme roof for Special Olympics. 1B
Salon owners say it won’t hinder loyal customers
OBITUARIES
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BY PAM HAYNES ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
HIGH POINT – Tanning bed owners like Lori Shelton are counting on loyal customers to keep a new tax from hurting business at salons this summer. With the arrival of spring and prom and wedding season, Shelton, owner of The Tan Line on N. Main Street, is seeing the annual peak in her business. She even reports an increase in business from the same time last year. But a 10 percent tax on total tanning purchases will be put into effect July 1, leaving customers to decide if the extra cost is something they want to spend. “It’s pocket change to a lot of people,” Shelton said. “The only thing that is going to bother me is it’s more paperwork for me and my managers.” The tax is part of the federal health care reform overhaul, and advocates say it could protect people from skin cancers and raise $2.7 billion dollars to expand coverage to uninsured Americans. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, the tax “is an important step forward in the fight against skin cancer.”
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Lori Shelton (left), owner of The Tan Line, talks with customer Anna Kelley about tanning lotion. Shelton said she stresses tanning education and moderation to her customers. “We always try to educate our customers to where they don’t abuse tanning,” she said. Melanie Pyrtle, one of Shelton’s customers who has tanned regularly for 20 years, said she doesn’t agree with the tax, but it probably won’t stop her from tanning. “It wouldn’t affect me,” Pyrtle said while waiting for her tanning appointment in the lobby of the salon. “I’m not going to change my habits. The government is going to get our money one way or another anyway.”
WEATHER
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The size of the tax itself surprised Pyrtle. A one month unlimited package costing $44 from The Tan Line would carry an ad- A 10 percent tanning tax will ditional $4.40 in taxes. take effect in July, but the tax To combat the extra cost, Sheldoes not apply to spray tans. ton said she won’t be raising her Part of the federal governrates this year. ment’s health care overhaul, And the loyal customers like the tax is estimated to bring in Pyrtle is what will keep tanning $2.7 billion to extend coverage salons in business, said Julie to uninsured Americans. Stafford, owner of Sun’s Edge Tanning Salon at 1220 EastchesWe’re just going to have to perseter Drive. “It’s just like gas or anything vere and get more creative to get else,” Stafford said. “People who people to come in.” love to tan are going to tan whether they have to pay extra or not. phaynes@hpe.com | 888-3617
AT A GLANCE
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Mostly sunny High 75, Low 50 6D
INDEX ABBY 3B BUSINESS 5-6D CLASSIFIED 5-8C COMICS 5B CROSSWORD 2C DONOHUE 5B FUN & GAMES 2C LIFE&STYLE 1C, 3-4C LOCAL 1B LOTTERY 2A MOVIES 6B NEIGHBORS 4B NATION 5A, 6B NOTABLES 6B OBITUARIES 2-3B OPINION 6-7A SPORTS 1-4D STATE 2-3A, 3B STOCKS 5D TV 6B WEATHER 6D WORLD 4A
City eyes funding for park improvements BY PAT KIMBROUGH ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
HIGH POINT – City officials have identified a funding source for several possible parks and recreation and transportation improvements. The city wants to use about $5.6 million in twothirds bonds to fund several projects. The High Point City Council is expected to hold a public hearing on the proposal next week as part of the approval process for the bonds.
Mildred Baldus, 73 Eddie Bernabe Bythia Hanes, 98 Lindsay Hipp, 12 John Hurt, 71 Maxine James, 85 Alice Loflin, 57 Linda Marquis, 53 Mary Nichols Helen Olszewski, 88 Patty Rabon, 48 Mack Steffey, 58 Eddie Wall, 81 Obituaries, 2-3B
“We have basically done an analysis, and we can structure this debt so that we can pay for it within the existing funds that we have available for debt service,” said Assistant City Manager Pat Pate. Two-thirds bonds don’t require voter approval to be issued. State law enables local governments to borrow money equal to two-thirds of the amount of the previous year’s retired bond debt. The bonds would not require a tax increase. The bonds could be is-
sued in June and be available for improvements to the High Point Athletic Complex, such as reconfiguration, resurfacing and marking of the parking lot on the north side of School Park Road, as well as improvements to bathrooms and concession facilities. “We’re looking at doing the work in conjunction with improvements that are being made by the school board at Simeon Stadium,” Pate said in reference to a Guilford County Schools group setting priorities for
bond funds that were approved for stadium-related improvements. “Our money would go toward paving of the parking lot that’s basically used as a visitor lot for Simeon Stadium and the one we use for the track and the north soccer fields.” The other parks and recreation work involved is the planned completion of the city’s greenway from University Park on Deep River Road to the Piedmont Environmental Center on Penny Road. The funds also would go
toward various road improvements, streetscapes, sidewalks and other work in core city areas. If the funding is approved, the city could start working on some of the projects in June. Engineering design work already has begun on the Athletic Complex parking lot improvements and the city has received federal funding through the office of Congressman Howard Coble for a design study for the greenway project.
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