STEPPING OUT: Denton Street Festival set for Saturday. 1B
HIGH POINT – The City Council on Thursday authorized cash incentives for one company and tabled another economic development project requesting city funds. The council unanimously approved up to $94,500 for Baltek, a New Jersey manufacturer and distributor of composite products that include balsa and foam materials used in cars, boats, wind turbines and other items. Baltek is considering moving its U.S. divisional headquarters and light manufacturing operations to 5240 National Center Drive, an unoccu-
pied building in north High Point. Payment of the incentives would hinge on several factors, including the creation of 68 jobs, 56 of which would be newly created with the rest transferred from out of state. The project would involve a total investment of at least $3.5 million in equipment and building improvements. High Point Economic Development Corp. President Loren Hill described it as a “highly competitive project” in which another community in a neighboring state is vying for the location. Baltek is expected to make its decision in a few weeks. “I’m not a real big fan of incen-
Mold forces closure of second city fire station
ALLMON JOY: Veteran coach takes helm of Bison girls basketball. 1D
50 Cents Daily $1.25 Sundays
tives,” said Councilman Bill Bencini, who added that one reason he was supporting the project is because it would add to the city’s manufacturing base. “I wish the location was closer to the core city. The closer you get to Interstate 40, the less likely those jobs are going to be filled by citizens of High Point.” The company also is seeking incentives from Guilford County and the state, and is slated to receive a grant from Duke Energy. The council put off a decision on a request for up to $100,000 in incentives for a company that would fill the former Rose Furniture building at 916 Finch
Ave. in southern High Point. The Phillips Collection, a furnishings product and design company, is considering relocating its showroom, office and distribution center from E. Kivett Drive and establishing a business incubator for start-up companies. The project would add five new jobs and $220,000 to the city tax base, but some council members questioned the amount of the proposed incentives and asked for a more specific business plan from the company. The council will revisit the request at a future meeting. pkimbrough@hpe.com | 888-3531
two forms of mold were confirmed on the dormitory side of the building last week. All fire stations are being checked, and initial air quality tests at Station 13 were negative for mold, before additional tests confirmed it above some ceiling tiles in an upstairs living space. “I haven’t seen anything as far as any immediate impact on our personnel, so I think we’re safe, but we’re going to go through the entire process to make sure we’re safe,” said Fire Chief David Taylor. “As far as emergency response to the citizens, none of that has been disrupted.” Personnel and equipment from Station 12, where some traces of a toxic mold were found that were airborne, have been operating out of Station 10 on nearby Whites Mill Road. Taylor said it wasn’t clear Thursday when the cleanup work might be finished at Station 12. Mold growth in buildings can occur in areas where heat and high humidity combine with moisture when air conditioning temperatures are lowered. Mold can pose health hazards, such as upper respiratory congestion, coughing and headaches. Station 13 firefighters may move temporarily out of their living quarters once cleanup work starts there. “I’m 90 percent sure they’ll be working there during the day and sleeping somewhere else at night,” Taylor said. pkimbrough@hpe.com | 888-3531
WHO’S NEWS
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High Point University librarian Amy Pace was among 20,000 librarians from around the world traveling to Washington, D.C., to write for the American Library Association’s annual conference publication, titled Cognotes. The articles covered many of the programs the librarians attended at the conference, including an author series featuring John Grisham, Audrey Niffenger and Junot Diaz.
INSIDE
BEACH MUSIC TO DANCE TO
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WATER QUALITY: Davidson officials hear update on Rich Fork Creek. 1B
HIGH POINT – Cleanup crews have identified mold at a second High Point fire station, days after discovery of the substance forced the closure of another facility. Surface mold was identified in an attic space of Station 13 on Ambassador Court. Officials have determined it’s safe to continue to operate the facility until cleanup crews remove the mold – which is not airborne and therefore not an immediate health hazard – and replace and insulate some duct work. That won’t happen until work at Station 12 on Barrow Road is finished, where
David Taylor High Point fire chief
127th year No. 253 www.hpe.com High Point, N.C.
BY PAT KIMBROUGH ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
‘I haven’t seen anything as far as any immediate impact on our personnel, so I think we’re safe, but we’re going to go through the entire process to make sure we’re safe.’
September 10, 2010
WEEKEND DETOURS: Sections of Interstate 40 will close for bridge repair. 1B
Baltek incentives pass BY PAT KIMBROUGH ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
FRIDAY
OBITUARIES
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DON DAVIS JR. | HPE
Patti Alderman of Burlington and Claude Neville of Chapel Hill dance to the music of Chairman of the Board at the first Beach Music Blast of the season. The event returned to High Point for the second year Thursday and will continue weekly through September. Concerts are outside from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Char-Grill parking lot.
John Akers, 76 Donna Brown, 54 John Dowdy, 69 Audrey Griffith, 99 Bertha Grubb, 88 Geraldine Hart Gene Kelley, 77 Joanna Lyons Louise Newton, 94 Carolyn Phillips, 62 Stephen Schneider, 45 Linda Watson, 65 Obituaries, 2-3B
WEATHER
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Roofing company leaves customers in the rain BY PAM HAYNES ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
GUILFORD COUNTY – Some local property owners who paid deposits to an Atlantabased roofing company for storm-damage repairs are coming up short-handed. Several complaints have been filed at the Better Business Bureau of Central North Carolina in Greensboro against American Shingle since June, said Kevin Hinterberger, CEO of the bureau. It seems the company has gone out of business and has not yet reimbursed all of its customers, he said. Owners of properties that were impacted by several severe storms earlier this year, including tornadoes that touched down in High Point in March, were approached by American Shingle representatives about repairs. Some paid deposits to have their roofs repaired, but the repairs were never made and the company did not return phone calls, according to those who filed complaints. “The customers that American Shingle visited talked to them about replacing their roofs and things like that,” Hinterberger said. “The customers got in touch with their insurance company, which issued them a check that they gave to the company. People have told us the company kept putting them off afterwards.” Hinterberger is urging others who paid for
FILING COMPLAINTS
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If you have paid a deposit to American Shingle but have not received any services, you can file a complaint with the following: • The Better Business Bureau of Central North Carolina, 852-4240 • The N.C. Attorney General’s Office, 919716-6400 but did not receive services from the company to file a complaint with the bureau as well as with the N.C. Attorney General’s Office. “What we’re trying to do is work with the company to see what checks have been cashed and what people are entitled to a refund.” For those who have not been reimbursed by American Shingle, Alert Construction in Greensboro is offering repairs at minimal cost, according to a release from the company. “I want to do the right thing and help families affected by this scam,” said Alert Construction owner Ed Regensburg in the release.
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