TUESDAY
FAMILY FUN: Day in the Park set for Saturday at City Lake. 1B
September 15, 2009 125th year No. 258
DEADLINE NEARS: Parents have until Friday to comment on school plans. 1B
www.hpe.com High Point, N.C.
NEW STATUS: Drew Weaver joins professional golf ranks. 1D
50 Cents Daily $1 Sundays
Underreported sewage
WHO’S NEWS
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EPA: Thomasville didn’t reveal full extent of wastewater spill BY DARRICK IGNASIAK ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
THOMASVILLE – Miscommunication caused Thomasville officials to underreport a wastewater spill that allowed 15.93 million gallons of raw sewage enter into Hamby Creek in July and August, city officials said Monday. According to City Manager Kelly Craver, the federal Environmental Protection Agency made Thomasville employees recalculate an amount of 385,000 gallons of raw sewage that initially was reported by the city Aug. 4 to the N.C. Division of Water Quality. The untreated wastewater spill,
which began July 13 and ended Aug. 4, came from the North Hamby Creek Outfall Line near Baptist Children’s Home Road, and sewage spilled into the North Hamby Creek in the Yadkin/Pee Dee River Basin. Craver said the wastewater spill happened as a result of a manhole that collapsed, possibly during or after a rain storm on July 13. The city manager said he knew of no environmental impacts that could be attributed to Thomasville’s wastewater spill. Yadkin Riverkeeper Dean Naujoks said EPA officials conducted
Dr. Alexander K. Powers joined the faculty of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center as an assistant professor. His interests include epilepsy surgery, pediatric and adult neurosurgery, spasticity management, pediatric spine surgery, complex pediatric and adult spinal deformity and sports-related injury to spine and brain.
SONNY HEDGECOCK | HPE
View of the Thomasville Wastewater Treatment Plant as seen from Baptist Children’s Home Road.
SPILL, 2A
INSIDE
Wheatmore opens
Pre-market opens with satisfying results
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NO FRILLS: Vegas event is strictly business this year. 2A
Inside...
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Some companies participating in Vegas and High Point shows. 2A
OBITUARIES
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Evelyn Baldwin, 89 Don Biesecker, 75 Terry Carlton, 82 Jerry Dye, 57 Mercedes Erwin, 93 Robert Harper Eva Hepler, 71 Edna Hollingsworth, 96 Donnie Lindsay, 25 Auda Miller, 54 Joe Penland Jessie Thomas, 78 Gaither Winfree, 63 Edna Wooten, 89 Lucile Wray, 93 Lisa York, 32 Obituaries, 3A, 2-3B
BY PAM HAYNES ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
HIGH POINT – Major furniture events in High Point and Las Vegas overlapped for the first time when the sun rose on Monday morning as Pre-market and the Las Vegas Furniture Market opened. Pre-market, an invitation-only event for buyers and manufacturers, began slowly, but an expanded list of secured retailers may have given the event an extra boost as the day wore on, according to some exhibitors. “So far, so good,” said Page Wilson, president of Pulaski. “We were reasonably busy (Monday) morning, and we had some appointments on Sunday (with retailers).” More retailers than ever before were secured for the event, according to figures released by the High Point Market Authority. This gives exhibitors more opportunities to display new products and gain commitments from buyers before the High Point Market opens next month, said Kevin O’Connor, chairman of the board for the authority and president of Samson Marketing. “My guess is we’ll have close to 100 retailers that come through,” he said about the event which ends today. Mike France, vice president of sales for Progressive Furniture, said he had seen twice as many customers before lunch on Monday than he saw during an entire day at the spring Pre-market. “You don’t write any business here, but we’re hoping for commitments from people we’re expecting to see,” he said. “It’s always worthwhile to be open at Pre-Market. We’re open at the Las Vegas Furniture Market, too.” France and several exhibitors said they were participating in both events, but the scheduling conflict made it difficult. “The Las Vegas Market is important for us, but the High Point Market is important for us as well,” France said. “It’s kind of unusual with Pre-market and the Las Vegas Market going head to head.” O’Connor said he didn’t want people to think of it as a “High Point versus Las Vegas” scenario. “The competition in Las Vegas has made us stronger,” he said. “It’s made manufacturers work harder to get their customers here.” phaynes@hpe.com | 888-3617
SONNY HEDGECOCK | HPE
Wheatmore Principal Daryl Barnes greets students as they arrive Monday morning.
Students, teachers enjoy smooth first day
INDEX
RANDOLPH COUNTY – Teachers had four full days last week to get classrooms ready for classes at the new Wheatmore High School, and those efforts made for a smooth first day Monday. “It has gone wonderful,” Courtney Page, a foods teacher, said of the first day. “It’s very
Daryl Barnes Principal exciting. The kids’ have been able to get into the kitchen and see the equipment. They are very excited about it.” The 600 students at Wheatmore had been sharing space at Trinity High until their new school was ready for occupancy. Teachers spent Thursday through Sunday getting their classrooms ready for students,
Mostly sunny High 87, Low 65
6D
BY DARRICK IGNASIAK ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
‘It’s just great to see the excitement in the air and the kids just proud of the facility.’
WEATHER
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SONNY HEDGECOCK | HPE
Freshman Jessi Burton was one of the first to show up Monday at Wheatmore High School. She arrived around 7 a.m. even though students could not enter the building before 7:50 a.m. and Randolph County Schools used Thursday and Friday as teacher workdays to get the new school prepared for teachers and students. “It took a total team effort,” Wheatmore High Principal Daryl Barnes said. “I’m very proud to see how everybody pitched into make this happen.” A pep rally was held Monday morning to celebrate the first day inside the new school. Barnes said the school’s band played the fight song, cheer-
YOUR COMMUNITY. YOUR NEWSPAPER.
leaders cheered and he made a few comments. “It’s just great to see the excitement in the air and the kids just proud of the facility,” he said. Haley Wolfe and Jillian Sexton, both juniors, said their new school was very nice. “I think it’s pretty,” Sexton said. “I think it’s awesome. I think a lot of people are excited. I know a lot of people wish they were here because it’s so nice and so big.” dignasiak@hpe.com | 888-3657
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