SPORTS: Southern Lee takes on Carrboro in nonconference play • Page 1B
The Sanford Herald THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2010
QUICKREAD
SANFORDHERALD.COM • 50 CENTS
TAX DAY IS TODAY
SCHOOLS
LCHS fix to benefit local economy
CHINA Nearly 600 die in earthquake
Renovations to be performed by mostly local businesses
PROFESSOR IN SANFORD WORRIED FOR COUNTRY Soldiers and civilians used shovels and their bare hands to dig through collapsed buildings in search of survivors after strong earthquakes struck a mountainous Tibetan region of China on Wednesday, killing at least 589 people and injuring more than 10,000. A half a world away, Shua Che, a visiting professor at Central Carolina Community College in Sanford, said she felt great sympathy for Che her country after hearing of the devastating quake. “I don’t have friends or relatives from that area, but I still feel very sorry and am in sympathy with the people there,” she said. Che, who is the instructor for the college’s Confucius Classroom, is from Nanjing, in eastern China, about 800 miles southeast of the earthquake area in Qinghai Province. “I know our government has sent lots of people and goods to rescue them,” Che said. “With the help from different places and different people, I believe the people in the earthquake area will get their normal lives back.” — More on the quake, Page 12A
ELECTION EARLY VOTING BEGINS TODAY IN LEE COUNTY SANFORD — One-stop voting begins today. Early voting, which allows residents to register and vote in the same visit, started this morning and will run up to four days before the May 5 primary. Lee County has two early voting sites: the McSwain Agricultural Center at 2420 Tramway Road in Sanford, and the Lee County Board of Elections office at 225 S. Steele St. in Sanford. The sites will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. The last day of early voting is Saturday, May 1. In order to register and vote at the one-stop sites, residents will need to fill out a voter registration application and provide proof of residency. Proof of residency can be shown with identification that includes the citizen’s name and current address. Appropriate forms of identification include a driver’s license, a utility bill with your name and address, a local, state or U.S. government document, a paycheck or stub from a W-2 statement, or a bank statement.
Vol. 80, No. 87 Serving Lee, Chatham, Harnett and Moore counties in the heart of North Carolina
By CAITLIN MULLEN cmullen@sanfordherald.com
ASHLEY GARNER/The Sanford Herald
Mary Ann Murray (right) helps Jay McDaniel of Bennett on Wednesday prepare his taxes at H&R Block in Sanford.
Pencils down Deadline today to file tax returns; post office prepped for one of its busiest days of the year By BILLY BALL bball@sanfordherald.com
Tips for tax procrastinators
SANFORD — Tax day is here. Today is the deadline for state and federal income tax forms. Pay attention, procrastinators. State and federal forms with instructions are available at the main branch of the Lee County Library at 107 Hawkins Avenue in Sanford. The library is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p .m. today. A copy of the state tax forms can be purchased at the library for 20 cents. Forms can also be found at the Internal Revenue Service Web site, www.irs.gov, and at the N.C. Department of Revenue Web site, www. dornc.com.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
See Tax, Page 6A
If you woke up this morning sweating, with a knot in the pit of your stomach, it’s probably because you have only hours to file your tax return. If you’re a last-minute filer, here are tips from the IRS: n Your tax return will get processed quickly if you use e-file, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. n If you will not be able to file a return by today, request an extension. Remember, the extension of time to file is not an extension of time to pay. n Tax forms can be found in Sanford at the Lee County Library or online at the IRS Web site, irs.gov. n Carefully check all identifi-
cation numbers on your return. n Double check your figures. n Double check that you have correctly figured the refund or balance due and have used the right figure from the tax table. n Sign and date your return. Both spouses must sign a joint return, even if only one had income. Anyone paid to prepare a return must also sign it. n To receive your refund faster, select direct deposit. n If sending a payment, make the check out to “United States Treasury” and enclose it with, but not attached to, the tax return or the Form 1040-V, payment voucher, if
SANFORD — Much of the work to be done for the Lee County High School renovation project will be locally based, and company officials say they’re pleased to be involved in a project in their hometown. Sanford-based American South General Contractor was found to be the lowest bidder in the high school renovation project bid April 7, other local contractors will be involved in the project. Cooper Mechanical of Sanford will handle the mechanical aspect of the job, P.R. Faulk Electric Co. of Sanford will cover electric and Tower Mechanical of Concord will do the plumbing work, said Andrew Myles, assistant director of construction operations and project manager for the LCHS project. Several other local subcontractors have bid for other work but Myles said they have yet to make decisions on some of those projects. American South is thrilled to work on the project, he added. “We were very happy to get that bid here in town, being local and all,” he said. It makes things easier for the contractor when the site is close, but Myles said it’s a pride thing, too. “We’re proud to have a project here in our hometown,” he said. “We didn’t want anybody
See Tips, Page 6A See LCHS, Page 6A
ELECTION 2010: DISTRICT 4 COMMISSIONER PRIMARY
Brogan: I can help county face adversity Candidate one of 2 in GOP primary race By BILLY BALL bball@sanfordherald.com
SANFORD — Tamara Brogan has seen down times before. Brogan, a Republican candidate for commissioner in Lee County, spent seven months in 1998 scrambling for work when her husband was laid off. Brogan, a trained nurse, took a night job at Walmart and her husband began part-time plumbing work to make ends meet for her family of seven. Eventually, her husband
HAPPENING TODAY n Central Carolina Community College theater students and community members present “Working, A Musical,” a show based on an oral history of workers by author Studs Terkel. The show starts at 7 p.m. at Chatham Mills, 480 Hillsborough St., Pittsboro.
UPCOMING n The Herald featured Brogan’s candidate, Jim Womack in Wednesday’s edition. n School board profiles will begin Sunday, starting with (in alphabetical order) candidate Mark Akinosho.
found work in Sanford and the family finances settled down. But Brogan, today a lo-
See Brogan, Page 6A
ASHLEY GARNER/The Sanford Herald
Tamara Brogan is one of two candidates seeking the Republican nomination for Lee County Commissioners, District 4.
High: 77 Low: 53
INDEX
More Weather, Page 12A
OBITUARIES
SCOTT MOONEYHAM
Sanford: Sarah Clayton, 70; Bobby Denkins; Richard Shand Broadway: Joe Dean, 82 Cameron: Jasper Blue, 72 Lillington: Robert Anderson, 43
Perdue is in a strange spot when it comes to current ethics talks
Page 4A
Abby, Graham, Bridge, Sudoku............................. 6B Classifieds ..................... 10B Comics, Crosswords.......... 7B Community calendar .......... 2A Horoscope ........................ 6B Obituaries......................... 5A Opinion ............................ 4A Scoreboard ....................... 4B