12242009

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THURSDAY

HOLIDAY SPIRIT: Charities set to feed needy on Christmas. 1B

December 24, 2009 125th year No. 358

DECISION DELAYED: Judge continues review of video tapes. 2A

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

STILL UNBEATEN: High Point Central’s girls keep rolling. 3D

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SEASON’S TOP TOYS Parents rush to get these popular presents under the tree BY PAM HAYNES ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

HIGH POINT – If these popular toys aren’t already wrapped and placed under the tree with your child’s name on them, you – or Santa – may have some explaining to do on Christmas morning. Ranging from board games to electronic pets, this year’s top toys have been selling out for about a month at local retailers as soon as they hit the shelves. Take Zhu Zhu Pets, for example. The electronic hamster does all of the cute and cuddly things that a real hamster does without the more messy, realistic aspects having a pet. They’ve flown off of the shelves as soon as they arrive in stock, retailers reported. “As soon as we get them, they sell out quickly,” said Joe Harmon, sales floor executive at Target near Oak Hollow Mall. “We have people coming in to look for SONNY HEDGECOCK | HPE

TOYS, 2A

Lisa Adams of Thomasville shops for toys at Target.

WHO’S NEWS

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Celestine A. Ntuen joined North Carolina A&T State University as interim vice chancellor for research and economic development. Effective Jan. 4, Ntuen will be a member of the chancellor’s senior cabinet.

INSIDE

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TOP COPS: Randolph deputies receive awards for valor. 1B

Report offers hope for turnaround of construction jobs BY PAUL B. JOHNSON ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

TRIAD – A report released by a construction industry trade group offers a hint of hope for construction firms and the people who rely on building for a paycheck. Construction employment increased in 26 states from October to November, including in North Carolina, according to an analysis released last week through the Associated General Contractors of America. From October to November, 23 states shed construction jobs, an improvement from the month-over-month change from September to October, when 33 states lost

construction jobs, AGC reports. The trade group bases its report on figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “It is too early to say if the pickup reflects improving economic conditions or a short-lived break in the weather. Only eight of the states with gains in November had increases the month before,” said Ken Simonson, AGC chief economist. The numbers may reflect the general improvement in the economy and the impact of the federal stimulus, known formally as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. “The stimulus kept a floor on the construction market that wouldn’t have been there this year. With

OBITUARIES

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WEATHER

SONNY HEDGECOCK | HPE

the stock market improving, hospitals, universities and other not-for-profits are getting back into construction,” said Brian Turmail, spokesman for AGC out of its Arlington, Va., national office. After declining during the first seven months of the year, construction em-

BY DARRICK IGNASIAK ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

SONNY HEDGECOCK | HPE

Kensington subdivision may be annexed into Midway. for future growth ... We have never had a plan or even talked about a plan to annex across the county line into Davidson County. We could, but it’s never been on the radar.” Ryan Ross, Midway’s town administrator, said residents who live off N. Payne Road, S. Union

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Construction crews work at the site of what will be Cottesmore Townhouses on Willard Dairy Road. ployment in North Carolina has recorded incremental gains the last three out of four months. The state’s construction employment market improved 0.4 percent from October to November to 188,700 jobs, or a gain of 800 jobs, AGC reports.

But the impact of the recession is starkly reflected in annualized figures. Since November of last year, the number of construction jobs in North Carolina is off 16.5 percent, or a setback of 37,400 jobs, AGC reports. pjohnson@hpe.com | 888-3528

Midway clears annexation hurdle MIDWAY – Winston-Salem officials will allow a voluntary annexation by Midway Town Council of hundreds of residents living outside of the town’s limits. The Winston-Salem City Council agreed this week to allow the voluntary annex of several areas outside of the town limits, said Winston-Salem City Manager Lee Garrity. “This is just an agreement between the two communities about future options for annexation,” Garrity said. “We’ve got annexation agreements with all the jurisdictions that are surrounded by Winston-Salem. It’s just a good orderly way to plan

Dorothy Bates, 80 Ira Cook, 83 Bennett Davenport, 88 Elizabeth Day, 78 Ila Embry, 91 Willie Hatfield, 89 Luther Keith Heidi Laws, 53 Bobby Motsinger, 70 Lettie Owens, 83 Keith Phillips, 49 George Schmidt, 84 Darrell Teer, 53 Doris Williams, 70 Obituaries, 2-3B

Grove Road, Hartman Road, as well as the Kensington development and the Williams Meadow and Merrifield subdivisions, have expressed they would like to be annexed into the town. If a neighborhood wants to become part of Midway, 100 percent of its residents

would have to agree to be annexed, city officials have said. Town officials also have said Midway will bring in neighborhoods as they get 100 percent participation. Ross said the Kensington development likely would be the first neighborhood to be annexed. Last year, Midway started to hear from residents who were afraid of being annexed by Winston-Salem. Ross said the list of residents wanting to be annexed into the town has grown from 400 to between 800 and 1,000. “We have a lot who just don’t want to be part of Winston,” he said. “Then we’ve got a lot of people who actually want to be part of Midway. They say

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they’ve always lived in Midway and now that Midway is a town, they want to be part of the town. They want to receive the services and things like that. As the town grows, they want to be in as we start.” Residents who are annexed into the town will receive garbage, street lights, zoning and planning and law enforcement service from the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, according to Ross. “We are hoping to get the ball rolling on it,” Ross said. “Now that we are approved through Winston, hopefully by mid-February we can start calling for public hearings and getting people in.” dignasiak@hpe.com | 888-3657

Partly cloudy High 47, Low 31 8D

INDEX ABBY 3B BUSINESS 6-7D CLASSIFIED 4-6C COMICS 7B CROSSWORD 2C DONOHUE 7B FUN & GAMES 2C LIFE&STYLE 1C, 3C LOCAL 2A, 1B, 3B LOTTERY 2A MOVIES 8B NEIGHBORS 6B NATION 6A, 8B, 8D, 5D NOTABLES 8B OBITUARIES 2-3B OPINION 4-5A SPORTS 1-4D STATE 2A, 3B STOCKS 7D TV 8B WEATHER 8D WORLD 3A

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