DCCC Storm gets weekend road win against SW Virgina.
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THOMASVILLE
Car crashes into horseback riders leaving two injured. See Story, Page 3.
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Tuesday, January 12, 2010
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Liberty Drive principal charged with assault BY LISA WALL Editor
Liberty Drive Elementary School Principal Benjie Brown has been charged with assault and battery by the Randolph County Sheriff ’s Department. Brown, 39, of 602 Long St. in Thomasville, is charged with allegedly assaulting Kevin Luke Starrett, of 610 Goodman St. in High Point, on Jan. 2, 2010. Starrett is a physical education teacher at Thom-
asville Middle School. According to a Randolph County arrest warrant, Brown “unlawfully and willfully did assault and strike Starrett by striking him in the head several times with a closed fist.” Thomasville City Schools Superintendent Keith Tobin said the incident in question occurred over the holiday break and did not take place on school grounds, therefore it is being handled as a personnel matter. “I’m investigating the
situation and after a full investigation, a decision will be made on how to proceed,” Tobin said. Brown “I’ve discussed this situation with the school attorney and the school board and at this point it’s being considered a personnel matter. Personnel issues are confidential“ Tobin says once the
case has been tried, he again will review the incident with the school attorney Starrett and school board. “I promise there will be no favoritism,” Tobin said. “I will be fair and consistent across the board and will handle it in the proper way.” Starrett filed the complaint on Brown on Jan.
2 in Randolph County. A warrant was issued and then sent to Thomasville Police Department to be served. Brown turned himself into TPD the same day. Starrett declined comment when reached by phone Monday afternoon, referring all questions to his attorney, James Williams of Archdale. Attempts to contact Brown were unsuccessful as of press time Monday night. Brown came to Liberty Drive three years ago as
Transportation Center opens doors at DCCC
Council to consider City Cemetery chapel project BY KARISSA MINN Staff Writer
BY KARISSA MINN
An open air chapel may be built at the city cemetery after Thomasville City Council discusses the project at its Jan. 18 meeting. “This actually was approved in concept when the cemetery chapel fund was created on April 17, 2000,” said City Manager Kelly Craver. “It was approved to create a fund to collect money to have this construction project come to fruition.” The project would cost $29,832.89. The city would pay $19,432 of that total out of its cemetery building and improvements funds, and the rest would come out of the cemetery chapel fund. “My understanding is that with the chapel fund and the rest of the monies, that’s pretty much all of the cemetery money that’s budgeted for the
See CHAPEL, Page 10
assistant principal after leading the Thomasville High School Bulldogs to three consecutive state football championships. He took over as principal before the start of the 2009-10 school year. Starrett has worked as a physical education teacher at TMS for two years, according to Tobin. He also is the wide receiver coach for the TMS Bullpups and head coach of the TMS basketball team. No court date was listed on the arrest warrant.
Staff Writer
From left, are DCCC Transportation Technology students Coble, Sandra Wilson, Michael Morrison and Chris Hilliard.
LEXINGTON – This week, automotive students at Davidson County Community College are enjoying their first classes at the college’s brand new Transportation Technology Center. The center houses the new DCCC Heavy Equipment and Transport Technology program that incorporates diesel engine repair and logistics in its curriculum, as well as the expanded Automotive Technology program. It opened with a ribbon cutting on Jan. 5, and students began attending classes there on Monday. Myra Thompson said that the building brings much-needed space for automotive students, who were working in one of the oldest buildings on TIMES PHOTO/KARISSA MINN campus. “It just affords our presStephanie Harris, Marty ent students a lot better learning environment,
as well as our teachers,” Thompson said. “It also allows more students to come into the program, because we have limited space, so we will be able to expand.” The 11,350-square-foot facility includes six automotive bays, as well as a lift for tractor-trailers that is capable of holding up to 40,000. In the past, students have shared 3 automotive bays, and they had to work on diesel vehicles outdoors. Now, the center is large enough to accommodate the new heavy equipment program. “There are two diesel bays have huge big doors that can be thrown open,” Thompson said. “They can be working on two or more diesel vehicles, which are tractor-trailers or heavy earth-moving equipment.” Wireless internet access is available through-
See DCCC, Page 10
Memorial Day planning underway BY ELIOT DUKE Staff Writer
Events like the Thomasville Memorial Day parade don’t happen overnight. Months of planning and countless hours of volunteer work are needed in order to welcome the thousands of people who venture to the Chair City every year as part of the largest Memorial Day celebration in
North Carolina. Frigid winter temperatures on Saturday morning didn’t stop the dozens of volunteers from meeting at Veteran’s Park to show that this year’s parade is planning on being the biggest one to date. “This is a chance to give everyone an opportunity to thank a veteran face-to-face and recognize those who have served,” Chairman Joe Leonard
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said. “This event gives our young and old a lesson in history and civics that can’t be gained from a book only. What better way to instill in our young people the price paid for the freedoms they have.” Veterans of all four service branches, council members and every day citizens braved the cold in an effort to show support for this year’s pa-
rade. While the event has grown every year over the past two decades, hopes are that some 35,000 people will come out and show support for veterans from across the state. Leonard said plans are to recognize 50 North Carolinians killed in the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and approximately 600 family mem-
TIMES PHOTO/ELIOT DUKE
Memorial Day Parade Chairman Joe Leonard (left) talks with Sam and Evelyn Harris, who lost their son Josh in See PLANNING, Page 3 the war in Afghanistan.
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