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CARRYING WEIGHT: Political parties play role in nonpartisan elections. SUNDAY SCHOOL MATTERS: Randolph candidates focus on dropout prevention. 1B

Police, ABC Commission at odds over fate of local night club BY PAT KIMBROUGH ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

DON DAVIS JR. | HPE

Mayoral candidate wears 2 political hats BY DARRICK IGNASIAK ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

WALLBURG – Jay Wagner believes his experience as Wallburg’s town attorney would help as High Point’s mayor, and said he plans to continue duties as the town’s legal counsel if elected to the High Point office next month. Wagner, who has been Wallburg’s town attorney for two and-a-half years, is running against incumbent Mayor Becky Smothers and Dwayne Hemingway-El for mayor of High Point. The race will be determined on Nov. 2. “I think I have a very good knowledge of municipal law,” Wagner said. “Certainly and obviously, the city of High

Point has a city attorney. I would be deferring to him for legal advice, but I think that a background in municipal law would certainly be helpful in the office as mayor as well.” Wagner Christopher McLaughlin of the School of Government at Chapel Hill said the possibility of Wagner serving in dual roles in two neighboring towns could mean he would have to recuse himself in certain situations. There’s nothing that says Wagner couldn’t serve in both roles because one is an elected office and an-

HIGH POINT – High Point police are at odds with the N.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission over whether to shut down a night club. Police Chief Jim Fealy this week expressed frustration that the commission hadn’t taken immediate action to suspend Club Triangle’s ABC permits following a drug bust in August. Undercover officers allegedly bought cocaine from a bar manager and authorities cited the owner and the business for allowing drugs on the premises. Fealy said he asked for a summary suspension of the club’s permits on the grounds that allowing it to remain open poses a threat to public safety. The commission declined and instead opted to hold a hearing on the charges against the club at a later date. Depending on the outcome, the commission could then take action against the club’s liquor license. “I’m really concerned about that club. We’ve written (ABC) violation after violation,” said Fealy, High Point’s chief since 2003. “They’ve been a thorn in the side of this community since before I’ve been here. We bought (drugs) from them time and time again. There have been assaults and numerous incidents of underage kids there drunk.” The chief said he hoped the commission would take the same action that it did against another location in the city – the Cristal Nite Club, which had its permits summarily suspended in August following two shootings. That case was different because it involved multiple acts of violence in the months leading up to the police request for immediate suspension, and the commission found there was evidence of “an extreme risk to public health or safety for the business to remain open” during the hearing process, according to Agnes Stevens, spokeswoman for the ABC Commission. The commission issued just five such orders statewide in the past year. “Club Triangle has a history with the ABC Commission, but none of it has to do with violence,” Stevens said. A hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 2 related to three charges against the club: being open to the public in violation of its status as a private club, failure to superintend and failure to purchase from a wholesaler. Stevens said the commission has received an additional violation report from police that has to do with drug transactions inside the club and is “reviewing it for appropriate action.”The hearing will examine whether the permit holder or the location is no longer suitable under state law to operate as an establishment that serves alcohol. “Since news hit that we were trying to abate them, I’ve had people come up to me on the street and thank me,” Fealy said. “We’ve tried to work with the ownership and management of that club. One way or another, it’s going to change the way it does business.”

CANDIDATE, 2A

pkimbrough@hpe.com | 888-3531

I-85 work will change south Davidson exit ENTERPRISE STAFF REPORT

DAVIDSON COUNTY – Motorists traveling along Interstate 85 in southern Davidson County will notice a change in the traffic pattern for an exit near the Yadkin River as crews begin work on the interstate bridge replacement project. The work won’t disrupt through traffic along the interstate. However, the N.C. Department of Transportation will close the ramp from I-85 northbound to N.C. 150 at 7 a.m. Monday, weather permitting. The ramp will remain closed until late 2011. The closure is necessary to build a new in-

terchange, which will improve access to N.C. 150, the DOT reports. It will feature ramps to and from I-85 northbound and I-85 southbound. During construction, a detour will be in place for motorists traveling north on I-85. Motorists needing to exit will drive past the closed ramp and take Exit 85 toward Clark Road. They will then follow the detour signs on Clark Road and Salisbury Road, which will lead them to N.C. 150. The interchange work is part of the $136 million contract awarded to Flatiron-Lane, a joint venture of Flatiron Constructors Inc. and the Lane Con-

127th year No. 296

50 Cents Daily $1.25 Sundays

DUE PROCESS

Olie Wall (foreground) and Mary Eliza Duckett (background) work at St. Mary’s Episcopal’s pumpkin patch at Farris Avenue and Hillcrest Drive.

October 23, 2010

www.hpe.com High Point, N.C.

PANTHERS ROLL: HPU women net record-setting victory. 4C

Pumpkin patch

SATURDAY

WHO’S NEWS

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Joshua B. Fisher joined High Point University as assistant professor of anthropology. Fisher is responsible for teaching various anthropology courses and coordinating student research, as well as serving as the anthropology program coordinator and helping with curriculum development.

INSIDE

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CAMPAIGN TRAIL: U.S. Senate candidates visit High Point. 1B

OBITUARIES

----Ola Bodenheimer, 96 Louise Hairston, 72 Infant Harpe Barbara Rabhan, 90 Christopher Walton, 46 Helen Wilson, 83 Obituaries, 2B

WEATHER

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Sunny, pleasant High 74, Low 49 6C

INDEX ABBY 3B BUSINESS 5-6C CLASSIFIED 3-6D COMICS 5B CROSSWORD 4B DONOHUE 5B FAITH 5-6A FUN & GAMES 4B HOME 3D LOCAL 2A, 1B LOTTERY 2A MOVIES 6C NATION 1-2D OBITUARIES 2B OPINION 4A REAL ESTATE 1-3R SPORTS 1-2C, 4C STATE 2A STOCKS 5C TV 6B WEATHER 6C WORLD 3A

INFO Circulation Classified Newsroom Newsroom fax

SONNY HEDGECOCK | HPE FILE

The interchange work is part of a $136 million contract to widen nearly 3.5 miles of I-85 from four lanes to eight and replace the more than 50-year-old Yadkin River bridge (above). struction Corp., to widen nearly 3.5 miles of I-85 from four lanes to eight

lanes and replace the more than 50-year-old Yadkin River bridge.

YOUR COMMUNITY. YOUR NEWSPAPER.

The project is scheduled to be complete by January 2013.

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