Thomasville Christmas Parade, 3 p.m. today in downtown Thomasville meets Polk County in second round of playoffs. See Story, Page B1
Saturday, November 21, 2009
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Visit tvilletimes.com Sunday for photos from today’s Christmas Parade.
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Jobless rate sees slight increase BY ELIOT DUKE Staff Writer
Unemployment in North Carolina has taken another turn for the worst. According to the latest statistics released from the North Carolina Employment Security Commission, unemployment in the state rose from 10.8 to 11 percent in October, marking the first increase since May. “The numbers have been pretty steady since February,” ESC Chairman Moses Carey Jr. said.
“We’ve had ups and downs concerning the number of people employed and unemployed, but we haven’t experienced any significant changes. We are working as quickly as possible to implement the new extension of benefits for those individuals who have exhausted or are about to exhaust their benefits.” Overall, employment in the state decreased by 5,643 workers and unemployment increased by 4,537 workers to 496,279. In the past year, unemployment has risen by more than 174,000 peo-
Auction to raise funds for families in crisis
ple with employment falling by 227,898. At this time a year ago, the state unemployment rate was 7 percent. “We are back up,” said ESC spokesperson Larry Parker. “We had a slight drop in employment and a slight increase in unemployment. When there’s one that’s too much, but it was not a drastic number one way or the other.” Hardest hit across the state continues to be manufacturing and construction jobs. Manufacturing
See JOBLESS, Page A9
BY KARISSA MINN
ing auctioned is an 8 x 10 autographed picture of Hannah Montana, which Fairgrove Family Re- includes a certificate of source Center will hold authenticity. Also up for its annual auction fund- auction will be an 8-byraiser on Saturday, Dec. 5 10-feet storage shed built at 5 p.m. in the Fair Grove by Shady Grove United Elementary School gym- Methodist Men, storage building delivery by nasium. The auction will benefit Bunce Buildings, Red all of the resource center’s Bull replicas of the Brian Vickers No. programs, in83 racecar cluding the WANT TO GO? and helmet food pantry, donated by emergency CV products, financial as- What: Fairgrove autog raphed sistance, N A S C A R b a c k p a c k Family Resource items, a sixprograms for Center Auction month youth children and membership parent education pro- When: Dec. 5, 5 p.m. to the YMCA and artwork grams. The by Bob Timauction raised Where: Fair Grove berlake, Flora $10,500 for the Elementary School Harris, Wes organization Patterson, last year, and Gymnasium Dempsey EsExecutive Diseck and Phil rector Terri Nelson said that this Gibbs. The Thomasville Times year’s goal is $12,500. “We only have two will donate tickets to fundraisers a year,” Nel- the Wake Forest football game against the Universon said. “One is the golf tournament, which we did sity of Maryland on Jan. not hold due to the poor 12. Other local businesseconomy. This year, more es, groups and individuthan ever, we are relying als have donated gift ceron the proceeds from this tificates, products, credits auction to help us sustain toward professional serour operation.” One of the items beSee AUCTION, Page A9
Staff Writer
TIMES PHOTO/LISA WALL
CHILI FOR CHARITY First Presbyterian Church Thursday presented local community assistance agencies with $1,000 checks, which came from proceeds from the church’s Fourth annual Chili Cook-off held the first week of October. From left are Mike Lamm of First Presbyterian, T. Marquis Ramsey of St. Stephens Missionary Baptist Church, Terri Nelson of Fairgrove Family Resource Center, Preacher Steve and Terri Byerly of His Laboring Few Ministries, Phil Griffin of First Presbyterian and Aurelia Sink of Cooperative Community Ministry.
Week’s events ushers in spirit of caring
Community offers donations to Creasey family BY ELIOT DUKE Staff Writer LEXINGTON — Company after company lined up in front of the Creasey’s new dream home Wednesday and presented the family with gifts that featured a little bit everything. With something for everybody, large name companies and neighbors from the immediate area helped Tricia Creasey and her family fill up their new dream home compliments of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edi-
tion. Despite another dreary day, much like the one that started the Creasey’s dream week last Wednesday, supporters of the family turned out once again with another act of fellowship that will go on for years to come. “Even before this, this community that we live in is an outstanding and caring community,” Tricia Creasey said. “All the things that people have done for my family in the three and a half years I’ve been fighting cancer —
See DONATIONS, Page A9
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BY KARISSA MINN Staff Writer Tricia Creasey called it a whirlwind, and that’s how it felt to us, too. In a sudden flurry of activity, ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” rushed into Lexington last week. Tricia, who is fighting cancer, and her family were told that they would be whisked away TIMES PHOTO/ELIOT DUKE on a vacation while their Builder Jason Hedrick gives a hug to Tricia Creasey community built them Wednesday at her new home. a new, healthy home
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in 106 hours. People immediately began to say that it couldn’t be done, but words don’t stop a whirlwind. It was a thrill to see how fast the old house came down and the new one went up. The air seemed to buzz with anticipation as everyone wondered how the house would look and how the Creaseys would react. I talked to people who know the Creaseys and
See EVENTS, Page A9
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