COUNTDOWN TO EVERYBODY’S DAY 2009!
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Thursday, September 24, 2009
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THOMASVILLE
Thomasville Bulldogs look to break a four-game losing streak Friday. See Sports, Page 7.
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Public works official resigns Wastewater spill cited as reason for departure BY KARISSA MINN Staff Writer A high-ranking official with the City of Thomasville Public Works Department has resigned in connection with the massive overflow of sewage into North
Hamby Creek in July and Early August. Dean Lambeth, maintenance and construction superintendent, stepped down Monday during an EPA investigation into the estimated 15.93 million gallon spill of untreated wastewater that flowed into High Rock Lake. Thomasville City Manager Kelly Craver said that Lambeth received two calls on July 31 from employees at Baptist Children’s Home who were concerned that there might be
a problem with the sewer system. “He and another employee did go out and investigate [the first call], and they could not find any sources of sewage at that time,” Craver said. “He received a second call later that day from an employee from Baptist Children’s Home, saying that they thought they heard water running. Unfortunately, he decided not to go back out and investigate.” The city manager said he did not know why, if the manhole
had already collapsed and created the overflow, Lambeth did not notice that anything was wrong. The outfall line near Baptist Children’s Home is remote, he said, and it isn’t clear how long the spill actually was going on before it was discovered. Lambeth and Morgan Huffman, Thomasville Director of Public Services, could not be reached for comment. Thomasville initially report-
See PLAY, Page 14
See SPILL, Page 6
Staff Writer
TIMES PHOTO/ELIOT DUKE
Students at Thomasville Primary School play on the new playground equipment provided as part of the Be Active North Carolina program Tuesday night. “With the problems we have in our society with childhood obesity one of our major focuses is the health and wellness of our children. This program has allowed us to take it to the next level.” According to Be Active statistics, children are 600 times more likely to develop heart
Staff Writer
disease if they do not engage in a physical activity on a regular basis and North Carolina has the 14th highest rate of overweight youths between 10 and 17. Overweight children are 70 percent more likely to be overweight adults.
See RESIGNS, Page 6
BY ELIOT DUKE
and communities needed resources to get kids living an active lifestyle by developing a school wellness committee and creating a comprehensive plan that integrates physical activity into a daily routine. “This is great for our kids,” said Keith Tobin, Thomasville City Schools superintendent.
BY ELIOT DUKE
Ronnie Lewis owns two pieces of property on High Rock Lake and feels that the reported sewage leak from Thomasville had been going on for longer than just a few weeks. Thomasville officials claim the sewage leak was first discovered on Aug. 4, reporting that 385,000 gallons spilled into North Hamby Creek, which feeds Abbott’s Creek and runs into High Rock Lake. A person working at the Hamby Creek water treatment plant later contacted Yadkin Riverkeeper Dean Najouks claiming 15.93 million gallons of sewage actually spilled, forcing city officials to amend their report on Sept. 8, following a visit from the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigations division. Lewis thinks the leak, which is believed to have occurred between July 16 and July 25, goes back farther than that. “People need to go look at what we’re talking about,” Lewis said. “They don’t know what we’re talking about sitting in some office somewhere. They need to look at the water, especially over in the Abbott’s Creek area across from the bridge on Route 8 and see if they don’t agree that this has been going on for quite awhile. A little bit of sewage wouldn’t cause that algae to be growing in that shallow water like that, from the ground up. The stench of the water has been there for a year.” Najouks agreed. “I have had others emails saying the same
Just Push Play program aims to keep children active
Thomasville Primary School unveiled a new initiative Tuesday that is intended to get children more active, resulting in better grades and a healthier lifestyle. Parents and students got a first-hand look at Just Push Play, a statewide fitness program created by Be Active North Carolina that promotes physical activity at school in order to ensure children are in better health, leading to them performing better in the classroom. “We really think it’s important to teach children young so they will learn good habits for life,” Paula Gaylord, TPS principal, said. “That’s what we’re here about. This is part of our health education for them. The kids are real excited. We feel very fortunate and need to do a good job with it. We want other people to know what we’re doing so the word will spread.” TPS is one of six schools in the state that is participating in the Just Push Play program. Just Push Play offers schools
High Rock Lake residents outraged over recent spill
Board tables land use plan BY KARISSA MINN Staff Writer
LEXINGTON — For the third time, the Davidson County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday sent the county’s land development plan back to staff for further revision because they took issue with some of the wording. “If a developer wants to use the recommended guides or any of the policy statements, he can take those policy statements and build a support mechanism for his proposed amendment to the zoning or-
dinance,” said Guy Cornman, county planning and zoning director. While the land development plan comes in the form of recommendations, not requirements, it could still be used as a legal defense for someone trying to appeal the board’s decision. Because of this, the county has been working on the plan for over a year, trying to get it exactly right. Commissioner Larry Potts expressed concern over a line in the plan that said the county should help preserve farm and forest land by offering conservation easement
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payments. “I agree with preserving farmland, but this is recommending that we give conservation easements,” Potts said. “If we vote 4-to-3 to adopt this plan and this is in there, then it’s part of the plan.” Cornman explained that the board would have the final say in whether or not to fund such a program, but commissioners ended up requesting that the easement portion of the statement be removed. Next, Chairman Fred McClure asked for clarification
See PLAN, Page 14
TIMES PHOTO/ELIOT DUKE
HOT OFF THE GRILL
From left, David Reed and Bob Drake work to grill up hot dogs Wednesday during Thomasville Funeral Home’s cookout for public service employees. More than 800 hot dogs were served up to guests.
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