Final verdict
UNCERTAIN FUTURE: Families cling to farming tradition. SUNDAY
SATURDAY
NO HOLDS BARRED: Holliman faces tough fight to keep seat. 1B
No. 261 www.hpe.com High Point, N.C.
SO FAR SO GOOD: Wolfpack basks in glow of 3-0 start. 3C
50 Cents Daily $1.25 Sundays
September 18, 2010 127th year
TOGA PARTY AT SIMEON STADIUM
Company to bring 68 jobs to city
WHO’S NEWS
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Vicki Pope joined First Mortgage Corp. as a home loan consultant. She has been in the mortgage industry for nine years.
BY PAM HAYNES ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
HIGH POINT – A company that recently was offered economic incentives from the city, county and state has finalized its decision to come to High Point. New Jersey-based Baltek Inc. will move its divisional headquarters to an unoccupied building at 5240 National Center Drive and bring 68 jobs along with it, according to announcements made by the High Point Economic Development Corp. and the governor’s office on Friday. Baltek Inc. is a manufacturer and distributor of composite products such as balsa and foam materials used in cars, boats and wind turbines. It is a company of 3A Composites, which has existing North Carolina operations in Statesville and Mooresville. The parent company of 3A Composites is Schweiter Technologies, headquartered in Switzerland. Approximately 56 new jobs will be created at the facility and 12 employees will be transferred from out of state, the HPEDC reported. The average annual wages for the workers will be $43,544 by the end of 2011, when the facility is in full operation. The company will increase the city’s tax base by $3.5 million. The High Point City Council unanimously approved up to $94,500 in cash incentives for the company last week to be paid out over three years subject to a performance agreement. On Thursday, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners authorized up to $89,500, also to be paid over three years. Gov. Beverly Perdue announced Friday that North Carolina would provide up to $204,000 from the One North Carolina Fund, the state’s main incentives fund, bringing the total of incentives the company could receive to $388,000. Though the selected site is within the High Point city limits, it has a Colfax address, said HPEDC President Loren Hill. “The company knows and has agreed to our incentives policy saying that Baltek will need to have a High Point post office box and call itself a High Point company were it to accept city incentives,” he told the City Council at its meeting Sept. 9. He referred to the project as “highly competitive” in a statement on Friday. “After searching in many states, High Point and a community in a neighboring state were the finalists under consideration,” he said. “We are honored that Baltek has chosen to locate in High Point, and I am pleased to announce that the company will open in its new High Point location before the end of the year.” For more information about the company, go to www.core materials.3acomposites.com. phaynes@hpe.com | 888-3617
INSIDE
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DON DAVIS JR. | HPE
The High Point Central “toga crew” had a lot to cheer about in the first half against cross-town rival T.W. Andrews Friday night. The cheering carried over for the entire game as the Bison dominated the Raiders in a convincing 33-0 victory before a big crowd at Simeon Stadium. See game details and reports on other prep football action in the sports section.
Under consideration
MIXED REVIEWS: Year-to-year sales drop but are up big from July. 1B
OBITUARIES
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City mulls contingency plan for Oak Hollow Mall BY PAT KIMBROUGH ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
HIGH POINT – The idea of the city buying Oak Hollow Mall surfaced this week, but leaders stressed that the notion is more of a contingency plan than something that is being actively pursued. After some City Council members expressed interest in the idea, City Manager Strib Boynton sent the full council an e-mail this week outlining how a purchase might work. Boynton was quick to point out that while the city can buy the mall in theory, it would take millions of public dollars to acquire the site and renovate it to house city functions, such as the police department. The plan would involve a method of borrowing money through certificates of
participation that is similar to revenue or special obligation bond financing. “To proceed, if that is what you
‘If this Texas company buys the (mall), everyone is a winner; we’re thrilled.’ Latimer Alexander City Coucilman want, will require the preparation of a solid business/financial plan with a very clear and solid revenue stream. Neither of those exist at this writing,” Boynton’s e-mail stated. A Texas company has emerged
as a bidder to buy the mall from CBL & Associates Properties Inc. A deal with Provident Realty Advisors of Dallas has not closed, but negotiations are ongoing. “I think if there is a private investor, we’re not going to stand in the way,” said Councilwoman Bernita Sims. “Our main concern was that we just did not want the mall to go dark. And so if no one else stepped up to the plate, the conversation was to explore the possibility of the city getting involved in that. We’re not in the business of wanting to prohibit any private entity from being engaged in what happens at the mall, so if there’s a deal on the table, by all means, I would love to see it move forward.” If the city were to get involved, one possibility would be to re-
MALL, 2A
Judge reduces bond of former hospital worker BY PAT KIMBROUGH ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
HIGH POINT – A judge lowered the bond Friday for a former High Point Regional Hospital nursing assistant charged with sexually assaulting a patient. Chad Matthew Collins, 38, of Collier Drive, Greensboro, made his first court appearance via video from the Guilford County Jail in High Point following his arrest Thursday on one count of sexual battery. He has been fired from his job since hospital staff reported to police on Sunday that Collins assaulted an emergency room patient. Friday’s ruling reduced Collins’ secured bond from $10,000 to $5,000. In laying out some of the authorities’ allegations against Collins, Assistant District Attorney Leah Howell asked for no reduction in his
bond. She said on Sunday evening Collins went into the room of the alleged victim – a 20-year-old male who had gone to the emergency room for
Friday’s ruling reduced Collins’ secured bond from $10,000 to $5,000. a stomach disorder – multiple times, even though he was not supposed to be with any patients. Howell said during one encounter Collins pulled down the alleged victim’s pants and fondled him. “We allege that he did this under the color of authority and preyed on (the alleged victim),” Howell said. High Point attorney Joe Floyd II appeared on Collins’ behalf and argued for a bond reduction, pointing
YOUR COMMUNITY. YOUR NEWSPAPER.
out that the charge he faces is a class A1 misdemeanor, which generally does not carry a secured bond. Collins has no criminal record, and Floyd said he has ties to the community and is eligible for pretrial release monitoring to ensure he shows up for future court dates. “These are simply allegations at this point, and that’s how we should take them,” Floyd said. Collins’ mother also appeared on his behalf, as did a man identified as his roommate, who said Collins has lived with him for four years. Collins was ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim, who was not in court, or the hospital. High Point Regional Health System issued a statement Thursday saying it is cooperating with police and would not comment on Collins “in light of the ongoing investigation.” pkimbrough@hpe.com | 888-3531
Connie Allgood, 82 Shirley Davis, 68 Mildred Goins, 69 H. Hutchinson, 84 Carolyn Ingram, 63 Marie Link, 79 Larry Pyrtle, 64 Larry Rector, 59 Wanda Russell, 70 Obituaries, 2B,2D
WEATHER
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Sunshine High 87, Low 59 6C
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