BASEBALL: Southern Lee gains consecutive bounce-back wins • Page 1B
The Sanford Herald WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 2010
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SANFORDHERALD.COM • 50 CENTS
LEE COUNTY SCHOOLS
AP testing policy altered
STATE
Following students’ outrage, BOE won’t require students to take costly exams By CAITLIN MULLEN cmullen@sanfordherald.com
POLICE TREATING TAFT’S DEATH AS HOMICIDE Kathy Taft, the state Board of Education member found badly beaten in a West Raleigh home over the weekend, died shortly after noon today, police announced Page 8A
SANFORD — An aspect of the Lee County Board of Education’s Advanced Placement policy that garnered outrage from some students was put to rest at the board’s meeting Tuesday night. Board members realized a policy they had put in place in March 2009 — which required high school students to take the AP exam in the course they
ONLINE Visit Carraway’s Facebook group opposed to the district’s AP system by searching “Students against unfair AP requirements” at facebook.com
were enrolled or forfeit a quality point — had been rendered invalid by the North Carolina Board of Education last July.
ASHLEY GARNER/The Sanford Herald
Southern Lee High School junior Marinda Carraway has formed a Facebook group opposing Lee County Schools’ system of docking a grade point if a student doesn’t pay for Advance Placement tests.
See AP, Page 6A
ENTERTAINMENT ELECTION 2010
THE ARTS
Meet the Dems
Texas-sized show to end its run at the Temple
MAJOR MANUFACTURERS TO ROLL OUT 3-D TVS Samsung Electronics Co. announced Tuesday that it is selling two 3-D sets. Combined with the required glasses and a 3-D Blu-ray player, the prices start at about $3,000 for a 46inch screen. Panasonic Corp. has said it will sell its first 3-D set Wednesday.
WANT TO GO? The show begins at 7 p.m. tonight with “Community Pay-WhatYou-Can Night. Suggested donation is $5. The show runs March 11-28.
Page 11A
By CAITLIN MULLEN cmullen@sanfordherald.com
TOYOTA
LAWSUITS FROM RECALL MAY COST $3 BILLION Toyota owners claiming that massive safety recalls are causing the value of their vehicles to plummet have filed at least 89 class-action lawsuits that could cost the Japanese auto giant $3 billion or more Page 12A
NATION MINORITY BIRTHS OUPACING WHITES Minorities make up nearly half the children born in the U.S., part of a historic trend in which minorities are expected to become the U.S. majority over the next 40 years Page 9A
WASHINGTON JOBLESS BILL NEARS A bill to give additional months of unemployment benefits to some cleared a key hurdle Tuesday that guarantees it will soon pass the Senate. Page 10A
Vol. 80, No. 56 Serving Lee, Chatham, Harnett and Moore counties in the heart of North Carolina
ASHLEY GARNER/The Sanford Herald
North Carolina Secretary of State and Democrat candidate for U.S. Senate Elaine Marshall (right) speaks with Judge Winston Gilchrist on Tuesday at the Wilrik Hotel’s ballroom.
Democratic candidates at all levels gather to introduce themselves to Lee Co. faithful By JONATHAN OWENS
THE CANDIDATES
owens@sanfordherald.com
SANFORD — Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate didn’t shy away Tuesday from the national health care debate when introducing themselves to local party loyalists. In fact, N.C. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, seeking the party’s nomination to unseat Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) in November, said at the Lee County Democratic Party’s Candidate Meet-and-Greet event at the Wilrik Hotel that she would embrace the health care plan now working its way through Congress. Some pundits think November’s election will be a referendum on the issue, and will result in large losses for the Dems, but that doesn’t scare Marshall. “People are paying more and more for health care and getting less and less,” Marshall told the crowd. “Richard Burr’s party had eight years to do something about it and did nothing.
See Democrats, Page 7A
HAPPENING TODAY n A former B29 Air Force pilot will be special guest speaker at the Veteran’s Remembrance Group at 2 p.m. at the Enrichment Center. Registration is encouraged, call 776-0501, ext. 201.
CALENDAR, PAGE 2A
See El Paso, Page 6A
U.S. House District 2
Clerk of Courts
2-year term
4-year term
Bob Etheridge (D-Raleigh)* Frank Deatrich (R-Louisburg) Todd Gailas (R-Morrisville) Renee Ellmers (R-Dunn) Tom Rose (L-Benson)
Susie K. Thomas (D-Sanford)*
State Senate District 18 2-year term
Roger Gerber (R-Chapel Hill) Bob Atwater (D-Chapel Hill)*
District Attorney District 11 4-year term
George R. Murphy (DBenson) Joy Jones (R-Smithfield) Susan Doyle (R-Clayton)*
Lee County Sheriff 4-year term
Tracy Carter (R-Sanford)* * — incumbent
SANFORD — The final performances of “Jason Petty’s ‘El Paso’” can be seen right here in Sanford. “Jason Petty’s ‘El Paso,’” running at the Temple Theatre March 10-28, features the songs of country legend Marty Robbins, delving into Robbins’s hisPetty tory and how he became a star. “It’s how Marty got to be Marty Robbins,” said actor Jason Petty.
Lee County Commissioners 4-year terms
o District 1 Robert Reives (D)* o District 2 Amy Dalrymple (D)* Charles Parks (R) o District 3 Linda Shook (R)* Mike Womble (D) o District 4 Tamara Brogan (R) James K. Womack Jr. (R) Kenneth Cole (D)
Board of Education 3 seats open, 4-year term
John Bonardi Jr. Linda Smith* Ellen Mangum* Kimberly Lilley Mark Akinosho Dana Atkins Shannon Gurwitch
Pittsboro judge gives Edwards’ aide a deadline By MIKE BAKER Associated Press Writer
PITTSBORO — A former John Edwards aide has narrowly avoided getting sent to jail for contempt over his handling of a purported sex tape showing the former presidential candidate. Superior Court Judge Abraham Penn Jones has given Andrew Young until Friday afternoon to account for how
See Aide, Page 6A
High: 69 Low: 51
INDEX
More Weather, Page 12A
OBITUARIES
R.V. HIGHT
Sanford: James Allen; George Batten, 85; Daniel Goodwin, 75
Times have changed a lot in the 37 years since Hight graduated from high school
Page 4A
Abby, Graham, Bridge, Sudoku............................. 6B Classifieds ....................... 9B Comics, Crosswords.......... 7B Community calendar .......... 2A Horoscope ........................ 6B Obituaries......................... 5A Opinion ............................ 4A Scoreboard ....................... 4B