TUESDAY
NO PARKING? Trinity may begin enforcing truck ordinance. 1B
November 17, 2009 125th year No. 321
MAKING THE CUT: Blockbuster won’t close High Point store. 1B
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IMPORTANT ROAD WORK: Tar Heels ready to travel. 1D
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Council delays market district vote BY PAUL B. JOHNSON ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
told The High Point Enterprise following the meeting that she doesn’t expect the council to vote Superintendent Mo Green gives on the issue until after the first of the year. update on schools. 2A The district, which would cover 249 acres, is designed to establish council meeting that the public an area for showroom develophearing on the proposed district, ment and encourage other busiwhich would set new downtown ness growth, such as restaurant boundaries for showrooms, will and retail, outside the district in be continued to the council meet- the central part of High Point. All ing Dec. 7 at City Hall. Smothers existing showrooms outside the
Inside...
HIGH POINT – The High Point City Council put off a vote on the controversial Market Overlay District for furniture showrooms Monday night after hearing for almost an hour and a half from nearly two dozen speakers for and against the proposal. Mayor Becky Smothers announced near the end of the
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district would be grandfathered in as showrooms as long as they remain in operation. The Market Overlay District proposal has generated debate in market circles since showroom owners received a letter from the city earlier this year with details on the plan. Of the 22 people who spoke at the public hearing Monday night,
COUNCIL, 2A
LAYAWAY PLANS POPULAR
Retailers set to deliver Inside...
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INSIDE
HEAD START: College students explore job opportunities. 1B
Retail sales increase in October. 5D BY PAM HAYNES ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
OBITUARIES
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James Anglin, 60 Max Boles Sr., 68 Robert Collins, 64 Elizabeth Edwards, 53 Robert Godfrey, 78 Lawrence Holt, 74 Jackie Jones, 53 James Leonard, 50 Jean Payne, 85 Maggie Pickler, 91 Sara Vanhoy, 68 Robert Watkins, 49 Obituaries, 2B
WEATHER
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SONNY HEDGECOCK | HPE
Lisa McCracken looks over selection of Christmas decorations at Target on Mall Loop Road in High Point. Thanksgiving that officially kicks off the holiday shopping season – earlier than usual through a promotion called Better than Black Friday. “We’re offering deals now so people don’t have to rush out on Black Friday to get what they want,” he said. But the store’s layaway feature has given it a major boost in sales this year,
he said. Hayes said he had seen popular electronic game consoles such as the Nintendo Wii financed through the service. “Our layaway sales are way up over last year,” he said. “It’s actually been twice as busy as last year.” Even Belk in Oak Hollow Mall is counting on some sales from electronics such as GPS navigation systems this season,
and the store is opening an hour earlier at 4 a.m. on Black Friday this year. “We’re expecting the holiday shopping season to be similar to last year, but we’re hoping sales to be higher,” said Jason Scott, general manager of the store. “We’re going to start our Black Friday pricing early – the Monday before Thanksgiving – on select items,” he said.
And while most major retailers are doing everything they can to attract customers before Black Friday, they’re still counting on major sales from that day. “It’s been the same way for years, and hopefully it will be the same this year,” Harmon said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. phaynes@hpe.com | 888-3617
Two enter race to fill Wiley’s seat BY PAUL B. JOHNSON ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
GUILFORD COUNTY – A High Point city councilman and a local charter school leader announced plans Monday to run as Republicans for the state House seat that will be vacated by Rep. Laura Wiley, R-Guilford. Councilman John Faircloth and Phoenix Academy board Chairman Paul Norcross said they will file to run in the 61st State House District, ensuring a
Peter Duquette, a pediatric neuropsychologist, joined Cornerstone Behavioral Medicine, providing neuropsychological assessment for children, adolescents, and adults with neurological disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, learning and developmental delays, cancer, kidney and liver disease and other complex medical conditions.
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Black Friday pricing starts early, is easier on the wallet
HIGH POINT – Local retailers won’t be relying on Santa Claus this year to bring them cheerful holiday sales. Instead, they’ll be counting on a group of musthave electronic gadgets and earlier-than-ever Black Friday specials to get them through the most important retail months of the year, which they say have started out steadily. “Sales are about comparable to last year at this time,” said Joe Harmon, sales floor executive for Target at 1050 Mall Loop Road. “That isn’t great news, but it isn’t bad news either.” Harmon’s outlook is consistent with national retail sales, which rose 1.4 percent in October, mostly due to a rebound in the automobile industry. Excluding automobile sales, retail sales rose 0.2 percent after economists predicted a 0.4 percent increase. Robert Hayes, store manager for Kmart at 2850 S. Main St., said his store also is experiencing sales levels similar to the same time last year, which is good news in today’s economic conditions. He said the store plans to capitalize on the annual Black Friday – the day after
WHO’S NEWS
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Norcross
Faircloth
Republican primary May 4 for the legislative seat that covers parts of High Point, Jamestown and southwest Guilford County. Wiley announced Friday she won’t seek re-election next year in the Republican-leaning district, mean-
ing the winner of next November’s general election will take the seat when the N.C. General Assembly convenes for the 2011 session in January 2011. Wiley said she will serve out her current term through next year. Faircloth said his experience in government and business would benefit the constituents of the district. Faircloth is a former High Point police chief who now works as a Realtor. “In the weeks ahead, I will be clearly presenting
my qualifications, my perceptions of the problems of today and the prospects for the future,” he said. Faircloth said he would serve in his Ward 6 council seat through his current term next year, though he would have to relinquish the seat at the end of 2010 regardless of whether he wins the 61st District race. A candidate can’t run for two offices at the same time under state election law. Norcross said he would focus on boosting employ-
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ment and education if elected a legislator. He said he would “push hard for the region to be a logistics and transportation hub. Our employment base has been decimated with the loss of manufacturing jobs.” Norcross said he would use his experience in education to promote learning opportunities and foster long-term prosperity for the region and its residents. This will be his first bid for public office. pjohnson@hpe.com | 888-3528
Partly cloudy High 68, Low 52 6D
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