East faces West Davidson on the diamond for CCC Title.
See SPORTS, Page 7 Tuesday, May 11, 2010
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THOMASVILLE
Hasty Elementary Food Drive collects items for Cooperative Community Minsitry. See FOCUS, Page 3
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Teacher jailed for having sex with student BY ELIOT DUKE Staff Writer
A former Thomasville High School teacher will spend time in jail for having a sexual relationship with a student. Edward Heath Williamson, 33, of 10 Johnia Court, was found guilty April 30 of a sexual act between a teacher and a student and will serve three months in Davidson County Jail as part of his sentence. Thomasville Police Department arrested Williamson in January after a THS school re-
tor and assistant varsity source officer received football coach, was fired notification that he was from his job, Thomasengaging in an inapproville City Schools Superpriate relationship with intendent Keith Tobin a 17-year-old female, said. Having a sexual rewho also was one of his lationship with a student students. by a teacher is a Class-G An investigation alleged that Williamson Williamson felony. “He was terminated by and the student had two our board,” Tobin said. separate sexual encounters on Dec. 16 and Jan. 15 “We have zero tolerance when while on school grounds. Wil- it comes to that. When you start liamson turned himself into talking about an inappropriate relationship between a student TPD on Jan. 22. Williamson, THS’ Instruc- and a teacher, or any adult, it’s tional Technological Facilita- not acceptable. We will not tol-
erate that whatsoever.” In addition to jail time, Williamson also must serve 36 months of supervised probation, including one year of intensive probation. According to Kathy Haynes, a superior clerk at the Davidson County Clerk of Courts office, intensive probation includes several strict requirements that Williamson will have to follow. Williamson will have to register as a sex offender for the next 30 years and cannot have contact with the female victim. “[Williamson] will be moni-
tored very closely,” said Haynes. “They have a lot of things they have to do through probation.” Should he fail to meet his probation requirements, Haynes said Williamson will have to serve 13 to 16 months in jail as part of his active sentence. “It’s a scared bond between a child and an adult, a student and a teacher,” said Tobin. “In our system, that’s the way I see it and that’s the way our board sees it. We will not tolerate any inappropriate relationships be-
Walk urges residents to ‘Move More’
See JAILED, Page 12
Council declines block grant BY ERIN WILTGEN Staff Writer
BY ERIN WILTGEN Staff Writer
With spring fever in full swing, Thomasville Parks and Recreation looks to encourage that natural desire to be outside and active through its Move More Walking Challenge. The event, which will run from 5 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, is free of charge to the community and asks participants to sign in under one of Move More Thomasville’s partners — Thomasville Parks and Recreation, Thomasville City Schools, Thomasville Medical Center, Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce, Tom A. Finch YMCA, Anytime Fitness and Davidson County Health Department. The group with the most walkers, wins.
See WALK, Page 6
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AT HOME WITH ART From left, Carla Brinkley and her daughter Brooklyn look at a pice of artwork at the Home School Art Show at the Thomasville Public Library. The exhibit offers home schoolers the opportunity to showcase their talent for the public. Artwork included self portraits, basket weaving, chalk and glue and clay sculpture. The library, which held a reception Monday night, will keep the exhibit open through May 21. Prizes were awarded for first , second and third place in selected categories.
Thomasville City Council declined to apply for grant money to be used for infrastructure improvements to a potential apartment complex at the public hearing held Monday night. The 4-2 vote against the grant application caused Weaver-Kirkland – the developer of the complex – to abandon its plan to build 40 apartments at the site, called Kirkwood Village Limited Partnership, located off Old Raleigh Road. The project would have been a $4.9 million investment in the community, and the $240,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDGB) Tax Credit Housing Development Program would have gone to improving the infra-
See GRANT, Page 6
TPD to honor fallen officers Thomasville Police Department will hold a Peace Officer Memorial Service Thursday at 6 p.m. in front of department headquarters on West Guilford Street.
BY ELIOT DUKE Staff Writer Thomasville Police Department will honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice during its annual Peace Officers Memorial Service this week. On Thursday, starting a 6 p.m. in front of TPD at 7 W. Guilford St., a memorial service will be held to pay tribute to six Thomasville police officers who were killed in the line of duty. TPD also will honor officers from Davidson County and throughout the state who died doing a job that can turn deadly in the blink of an eye. Thomasville Chief of Police Jeff Insley, Lexington Chief of Police John Lollis, Denton Chief of Police Mark Hicks and Davidson County Sheriff David Grice will all lay wreaths at the memorial statue in front of TPD headquarters. “This is an opportunity to remember the
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sacrifices that are made by not only our officers but those statewide and nationwide,” Maj. James Mills said. “We take a few minutes to reflect on the ultimate sacrifice that these officers were called to make.” It has been more than 30 years since TPD lost two officers on one fateful night in 1977. Former police chief Larry Murdock was a lieutenant in charge of patrol on Jan. 8, 1977, when he assigned officers Dennis Spinnett and R.G. Crawford to a domestic violence call on Douglas Drive. Both officers were gunned down. “On that particular night, it was a cold, winter night,” said Murdock. “I sent the two officers to answer the call. I assigned another patrol officer to follow up, but by the time he arrived on the scene, he went into the house and found both officers had been shot and
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