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THOMASVILLE Now thru Jan. 8
Saturday, January 2, 2010
East girls fall in close game; Ledford boys win holiday tournament. See Sports, Page 7.
Times
119th Year - No. 40 50 Cents
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REFLECTIONS ON THE YEAR, DECADE Looking back before moving forward
Tragedy and triumph mark first decade of new century
BY KARISSA MINN Staff Writer
BY ELIOT DUKE
The beginning of 2010 brings hope for those longing for a fresh start and better days ahead. Before we look forward, though, I want to take a moment to reflect on the biggest local news stories of 2009.
Staff Writer
1. Recession and Stimulus The major economic crash may have occurred in 2008, but shock waves continued to spread throughout 2009, seeming to spare no-one. Unemployment rates skyrocketed to record levels as businesses laid off workers in order to survive. Charitable organizations struggled to fill a growing number of outstretched hands with a dwindling amount of aid. North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue inherited the task of making up for the state’s $3 billion deficit, asking for funds back from already-struggling local governments and schools. N.C. “Education” Lottery, anyone? For their part, Davidson County Board of Commissioners and Thomasville City Council succeeded in balancing their own budgets. They also approved new guidelines for incentive packages, offering help to smaller businesses and making allowances for the tough economy. Newly inducted U.S. President Barack Obama worked with legislators to pass the American Recovery and Reinvest-
See BACK, Page 4
FILE PHOTOS
Clockwise, from top, former Chief of Police Ronald Bratton receives key to the city from Mayor Joe Bennett upon his retirement, the Creasey Family’s first look at their Extreme Makeover home, High Rock Lake fish kill, Chief of Police Jeff Insley being sworn in and President Barak Obama.
Staff Writer
As the economic recession continues, many local residents who once donated to charitable organizations now find themselves among the people who benefit from them. Robert Smith, 41, of Thomasville, volunteered for Fairgrove Family Resource Center for seven years before he unexpectedly needed their help. Smith worked as a truck driver, but was laid off this fall due to the economy. His wife retained her
job as a hairstylist, but the couple began to struggle to support their four children. Then, disaster struck. “My house burned up Nov. 16,” Smith said. “[The resource center] basically fed me and my family for about week while we were in a motel. All our money was gone. If it had not been for them, me and my family would have starved.” The family has since found a place to live, and the resource center “adopted” their children for Christmas, buying them clothes, food and toys. He said that the staff and volunteers have treated him with kindness and respect,
Community Sponsor
doing everything they can to help him. “The Fairgrove Family Resource Center is a wonderful thing,” Smith said. “I’ve seen them help lot of people, including my family and some friends of mine ... It makes a big difference.” The resource center is one of the recipients of the Thomasville Times/Parks and Recreation Community Food Challenge, which has been extended until Jan. 8 to help meet the 10,000-item goal. Donors can register by calling 888-3590, and they can drop
See HELP, Page 6
BY ELIOT DUKE Staff Writer The first weekend of the new year is expected to bring bone-chilling temperatures into the area, causing local homeless shelters to brace for more people seeking sanctuary from the cold. Night time temperatures are projected to be in the teens staring this evening and for next
Today’s Weather
Sunny 32/16
Full Forecast Page 2
See DECADE, Page 13
Cold weather blast concerns local shelters
Economy leads more people to seek help BY KARISSA MINN
The new millennium was supposed to start in darkness. As the final hours of 1999 ticked away, fears of a global technological meltdown called Y2K had everyone wondering if their money would be there once the calendar flipped. Nothing happened and we all woke up on Jan. 1, 2000, the same as the day before. It turned out that Y2K would be the least important thing in a decade that changed America like no other in history. There have been so many moments in the past 10 years that it’s hard to pick out which ones stand out the most. I could probably list a few dozen events this decade that have shaped not only us as people but the country we live in, but lets keep it to a select few. It didn’t take long for the decade to develop it first major story. In the fall of 2000, George Bush and Al Gore engaged in a very tight race for the presidency that went to the wire and beyond. Hanging chads and dimple ballots put Florida at the forefront of a presidential vote than eventually winded up in the Supreme Court. Bush was declared the winner in what would be the first of three critical elections over the next eight years. Four years later, Bush won re-election, defeating Massachusetts senator
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several days. For those on the streets or under bridges, such conditions can be fatal. “This is the type of weather that can kill people,” Huey Turner, pastor of The Shepherd’s Inn, said. “Some choose not to come in and others that do, there’s just not room for them. We are doing everything possible to help as many people as
See COLD, Page 6
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