Primary Election Day - Cast Your Vote! ELECTION RESULTS
THOMASVILLE
Find results from the 2010 Primary Election tonight at tvilletimes.com and in-depth coverage of election winners in Thursday’s Times!
Times
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
119th Year - No. 91 50 Cents
www.tvilletimes.com
Carpe diem Davidson County voters
High turnout expected at polls BY ERIN WILTGEN Staff Writer
Seize the day Davidson County. When voting booths across the county swing into action this morning, who will be the next sheriff for the following four years will fall squarely on ELIOT DUKE the shoulders of Staff Writer registered voters. If early voting numbers are any indication, this year’s sheriff ’s race may go down as one of the largest ever in terms of turnout. This is a historic moment for the county, and residents should welcome the chance to be a part of it. The right to vote is as old as the country and it is the one true way to make our collective voices heard. What makes this Republican primary for sheriff so unique is the cast of characters involved. Sheriff David Grice, former sheriff Gerald Hege and challenger Terry Price have spent the last several months on the campaign trail, trying to get their message across in an effort to represent the Republican party in the November election. The race has been anything but boring. All three candidates have traded shots back and forth, and supporters from all sides have managed to express their opinions one way or another. Thanks to the world of blogs and message boards, citizens throw support to their candidate of choice whatever way they can. The fact they do it anony-
Primary races come to an end today as voters cast the final ballots. After two weeks of early voting, Davidson County residents have a last chance to come out to the polls, open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. About 101,093 people have registered to vote — 46,719 Republicans, 32,985 Democrats
and 21,241 unaffiliated voters. Ruth Huneycutt, director of the Davidson County Board of Elections, said she would like to see around 10-11,000 people come out to vote today. “We hope for around 20 percent,” she said. In 2006, the last mid-term primary election, 9,975 residents turned out to vote on election day. An increase in registered voters — about 8,000 since 2006
— as well as the high-profile sheriff ’s race this year, hopefully will bring out even more voters, Huneycutt says. “I think she’s probably right,” said Loretta Martin, former chair of the Davidson County Democratic Party. “Just because of the interest in the sheriff ’s race here, I think that’ll make it heavier than other elections. The people have a real interest in who becomes the sheriff this
time.” The Republican primary for sheriff pits incumbent Sheriff David Grice against Terry Price, who was defeated by Grice in 2006, and former sheriff Gerald Hege, who resigned in 2004 after being convicted of felony obstruction of justice. Lance Barrett, chairman of the Davidson County Republi-
See POLLS, Page 6
Thomasville teen killed in traffic accident BY ELIOT DUKE Staff Writer
Shoppers of all ages toured the vendor booths at the Seventh annual Spring Daze Festival Saturday in downtown Thomasville. This year also marked the first Thomasville Chainsaw Competition, in which sculptors entertained crowds with their unique artistic talent. The two events were organized by the City Beautification Committee and the Thomasville Tourism Commission, respectively.
A Thomasville teenager scheduled to graduate high school in a few weeks died Friday as a result of injuries he sustained in a High Point traffic accident. According to High Point Police Department, Justin Payne Simmons, 17, of Ball Park Road, died after the SUV he was riding in rolled over following a collision with another vehicle in the 900 block of Phillips Avenue near Westchester Drive Friday at 11:22 a.m. Simmons was ejected from the Chevrolet Blazer, driven by Jacob Foster Nance, 17, of Lexington, and died at the scene. Nance, who also was ejected from the vehicle, survived the crash, but would later succumb to his injuries Saturday night at 9:30 p.m. at Baptist Hospital in WinstonSalem. Both men attended High Point Christian Academy and were sched-
TIMES PHOTOS/ELIOT DUKE
See TEEN, Page 6
SPRING DAZE
See VOTERS, Page 10
Relay joins fighters, survivors BY ERIN WILTGEN Staff Writer Toes scrape against the starting line. Hands clap as blurred shapes line the track, ready to cheer the racers’ every step. The signal, and they’re off – each cancer survivor walking a victorious lap to kick off the Relay For Life ceremony. The American Cancer Society sponsors Relay For Life, a COURTESY PHOTO 24-hour relay to raise money Participants in the 2009 Relay For Life gather at Thomasville High for cancer research. Davidson School’s track to help raise money for cancer research. County Relay For Life will hold
Community Sponsor
WANT TO JOIN? To sign up or for more information, visit http://main.acsevents.org/site/ TR?fr_id=24662&pg=entry. its 12th annual event at Thomasville High School starting at 6 p.m. Friday, May 21, and spanning to Saturday, May 22. Teams of people will camp out along the track and enjoy various festivities while keeping one team member walking at all times. Individual people are also
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welcome to come out and walk. “The concept is that we can give back or we can fight cancer to raise awareness about cancer for 24 hours because cancer patients do it 365 days a year, 24 hours a day,” said Jami Myers, senior community manager at American Cancer Society. The survivor’s lap opens the event with an atmosphere of celebration. Music begins playing and participants dance and cheer on the survivors in their
See RELAY, Page 10
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