MONDAY
YEAR WINDS DOWN: A humorous look back at 2009. 1C
December 28, 2009 125th year No. 362
POPULATION GROWTH: State may gain new congressional district. 1B
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GIANT KILLERS: Panthers stun New York for huge upset. 1D
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WHO’S NEWS
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Smoking ban includes requirements for patios BY PAM HAYNES ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
TRIAD – Outdoor patios may be the solution to bar and restaurant owners’ worries about the state’s smoking ban, effective Jan. 1. But they’re finding out that patios have a set of requirements to meet before customers are allowed to light up outside. The smoking ban legislation, signed by Gov. Beverley Perdue earlier this year, won’t allow smoking on a patio that is considered to be enclosed, or a patio area that has three or more walls and a roof. “With patios, the key is that smoking is prohibited in enclosed areas,” said Mary Gillett, coordinator for the Tobacco Use Prevention Coalition of Guilford County. “Any restaurant that has a patio is fine as long as it has at least two sides that are open.” Those restrictions include enclosures made out of canvas material, Gillett said, but not screens because the air flow isn’t restricted. One of George Rider’s two area bars meets the requirements to allow smoking. Rider is hoping that the smoking ban will have less of an impact on Rider’s in the Country, located in Randleman just next to the Guilford County line.
Vic Conant, chairman of the board of NightingaleConant Corp., a publisher of audio personal development programs, was named by High Point University to the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication Board of Advisors.
“It gives your customers a little bit of relief,” he said. “You at least have a place to sit and smoke outside instead of standing in front of the place where everyone else has to walk through it (the smoke).” A patio at his other bar, Club 64 in Asheboro, doesn’t meet the requirements. Greg Stephen’s, owner of Harrison’s Restaurant at 1807 N. Main St. in High Point, used to drape a canvas enclosure over his outdoor patio during winter to help customers battle the cold. Because of the new restrictions, he isn’t using the canvas this winter. “If we put the cover out, our guests won’t be allowed to smoke out there,” he said. “We’ll have to let people fend for themselves on the patio this winter when they want to smoke.” Stephens, who has spoken in opposition of the ban since it was passed, said he expected it to have some negative impact on the business of bars and restaurants, but he is preparing Harrison’s for the transition. “We’re waiting to see how the law really is going to be enforced,” Stephens said. “We’re waiting to see if they’ll revise any of it.”
INSIDE
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ALMOST DONE: Sewer repair work coming to a close. 1B OBITUARIES
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DON DAVIS JR. | HPE
phaynes@hpe.com | 888-3617
Employment will play a key role in 2010 elections BY PAUL B. JOHNSON ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
TRIAD – The Democratic Party’s chance of maintaining control of the N.C. General Assembly and keeping its seats in the state’s congressional delegation or the Republican Party’s opportunity to turn the tide its way may come down to three critical factors, analysts say. First is jobs ... then there’s jobs ... and, finally, jobs. The state’s unemployment rate, which continues to hover around 11 percent, could serve SLEEPING as a leading indicator next year GIANT in outcomes for races among the state’s 13 congressional districts The 2010 and 170 seats in the General Aselection year sembly, a pair of political ana■■■ lysts say. If the fallout from the economy at the polls is deep enough, the impact could filter down to local partisan races for seats such as county boards of commissioners, district attorney and sheriff. “The bottom line is – people will be touting every month when the unemployment and jobs figures come out. It’s a barometer on how we’re doing, and it will have a significant effect,”
ELECTIONS, 2A
SERIES BREAKOUTS
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SUNDAY: Though not as monumental as 2008, next year is critical in local, state politics. TODAY: Employment numbers could play key role in outcomes.
Harrison’s on N. Main Street will have to comply with the smoking ban in the new year.
Budget cuts leave libraries without tax forms BY PAT KIMBROUGH ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
HIGH POINT – For High Point Public Library officials, tax season traditionally means a busy time helping visitors. The next few months could be even more hectic for the staff because of a cost-cutting measure being implemented by the state. The N.C. Department of Revenue has announced that it will no longer send tax forms and instruction books to libraries, post offices and other public facilities. The move is aimed at reducing printing costs and encouraging electronic filing, but may pose hassles for the 1,200 to 2,000 people who typically come to High Point’s library for the free forms each tax season. “They’re going to come in and be frustrated, so we’re trying to minimize that, and hopefully they’ll be less frustrated as they’re leaving,” said Julie Raynor, the library’s business research supervisor. “There are folks that just come into the library to get tax forms. They don’t have access to a computer. It’s going to put them at a disadvantage, but we really are going to try to work with folks.” Raynor said library staff will be available to help pa-
AT A GLANCE
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State Department of Revenue service centers in Greensboro and Winston-Salem still will have income tax forms available to the public this tax season. Individual taxpayers may order forms by mail at no cost by calling the department toll-free at 1-877-252-3052 or by going to www.dor.state.nc.us/request/ and completing an online request for forms. Taxpayers can also download the forms and print them by going to www.dor.state. nc.us/downloads/individual.html.
trons download and print W2s start being issued. “The out the forms for a small bulk of our traffic comes in charge and can refer them February and March,” she to the state Department of said, adding that post ofRevenue’s phone number or fices in High Point have not been getting the forms in recent years. The Thomasville Public Library also sees a steady stream of visitors between February and April who make use of tax-related services, such as the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program that is administered by the Department of Web site, where they can ar- Social Services, said Sarah range to have them mailed Hudson, the library’s assisat no cost. The library still tant director. The library will receive federal tax forms also makes tax forms availthat will be made available able to the public, though their popularity has waned to the public for free. The library traditionally some as more taxpayers file gets a lot of traffic starting online, she said. “It is starting to decrease, in January from employers picking up W2 and 1099 but there are still a lot forms, which they will con- of people doing them by tinue to offer, Raynor said. hand,” said Hudson. Visitors start showing up looking for the forms once pkimbrough@hpe.com | 888-3531
Library staff will be available to help patrons download and print out forms.
YOUR COMMUNITY. YOUR NEWSPAPER.
Rudgely Calhoun, 89 Daniel Callahan, 69 Jerri Craven, 71 Robert Culler, 88 Delbert Dotson, 79 Millie Fuller, 76 Ina Kersey, 75 Willie Little, 60 Grace Loflin, 92 Timothy Sims, 64 Alfred Swaim, 94 Albert West, 82 Obituaries, 2B
WEATHER
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Mostly sunny High 42, Low 25 6D
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