SPORTS: Southern Lee hoping for charge into playoffs • Page 1B
The Sanford Herald TUESDAY, MAY 4, 2010
SANFORDHERALD.COM • 50 CENTS
ELECTION 2010
LEE COUNTY BUDGET
Low voter turnout expected today
No new taxes, no cuts
School board vote highlights primary ballot in Lee County
County Manager’s proposal, if approved, would actually add a position By BILLY BALL bball@sanfordherald.com
SANFORD — There’s good news in the Lee County budget. A recommended spending plan put forth by County Manager John Crumpton Monday will maintain the
current 75 cents per $100 valuation property tax rate and not come with any more cut positions. In fact, the county would net another job in the 345person roster if all goes according to plan. That’s a major plus one
year after the recession-stung county slashed 26 positions as expenses mounted and revenues dried up. County commissioners have said they want a budget that avoids layoffs and retains
See Budget, Page 7A
READ FOR YOURSELF
For a full copy of Lee County Manager John Crumpton’s proposed 2010-2011 budget, visit the Lee County Web site at www.leecountync.gov.
INSIDE
See sample ballots for elections in Lee County and find out where your precinct election location is. Page 6A
SANFORD POTTERY FESTIVAL
CHILD INJURED
Boy, 5, falls down elevator shaft
By BILLY BALL bball@sanfordherald.com
SANFORD — Time to cast your ballots. Primary voting is today and a number of national and local seats are up in the air. Lee County’s 10 polling places opened today at 6:30 a.m. and will close at 7:30 p.m. Up for grabs are a seat in the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, the District Attorney position, the Lee County Board of Commissioners and three spots on the Lee County Board of Education. School board seats, which are nonpartisan, will be decided in today’s vote, along with the race for who will be the Republican challenger in the Lee County Board of Commissioners District 4 race in November. Lee County Elections Director Nancy Kimble is predicting light turnout in an area known for paltry voting numbers on non-
See Vote, Page 6A
Child recovering from serious injuries after 20-foot fall on Oak Island By BILLY BALL bball@sanfordherald.com ASHLEY GARNER/The Sanford Herald
Jerry Pruett glances at pottery at the Ninth Annual Sanford Pottery Festival at Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center on Saturday. Festival Founder Don Hudson said attendance was up 20 percent this year over last.
MAKING THE YEAR Founder says turnout up 20 percent over 2009 show By JONATHAN OWENS owens@sanfordherald.com
QUICKREAD OIL RIG DISASTER
OIL SPILL SURE TO MAKE ITS WAY TO YOUR WALLET The calamitous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico isn’t just a mess for the people who live or work on the coast. If you drink coffee, eat shrimp, like bananas or plan to buy a new set of tires, you could end up paying more because of the disaster. Page 9A
TIMES SQUARE SUV’S OWNER SAYS HE SOLD IT THREE WEEKS AGO
The registered owner of an SUV that was parked in Times Square and rigged with a crude bomb told investigators he sold the vehicle to a stranger for cash three weeks ago Page 10A
Vol. 80, No. 103 Serving Lee, Chatham, Harnett and Moore counties in the heart of North Carolina
SANFORD — In these troubled economic times, there was a lot at stake at this year’s Sanford Pottery Festival, and a lot of stress for Founder Don Hudson and his dedicated group of volunteers to make it a success. But a day removed from the last sale at the weekend event, Hudson said Monday the ninth annual event surpassed all expectations on attendance and sales. Though he said he did not
have concrete numbers, he estimated that the show’s attendance was up “at least 20 percent,” this year, leading to the increase in sales potters and vendors were needing to stay afloat this year. “This was one of our best years ever,” Hudson said. “It was nice not to have a drop of rain both days.” The weekend’s success came as a relief to Hudson, who said some vendors expressed to him prior to the opening that they were counting on the Sanford show to make their year.
“It puts a lot of pressure on a show promoter to hear more than one person say they would need a big show in Sanford or they would have to sell their home,” he said. “Potters are counting on the show now to be a sure thing.” Especially popular at this year’s event, Hudson said, was the wine tent, which featured an average of 12 vineyards a day pouring samples and selling bottles. Hudson said the tent sold at least 2,200 glasses for attend-
See Pottery, Page 7A
OAK ISLAND — A local boy suffered serious injuries when he fell down an elevator shaft Sunday afternoon in the beach community of Oak Island, authorities say. The child, 5-year-old Fisher Hamilton of Sanford, somehow fell after opening a residential elevator door at a beach cottage, said Oak Island Fire Chief John House. Emergency responders received conflicting reports, but the boy was apparently looking underneath the elevator when he fell through an 8-inch gap between the chamber and the door and into a concrete pit. The child’s parents are Sanford residents Sam and Alicia Hamilton, who were staying at a beach home south of Wilmington on Oak Island’s Kings Lynn Drive. Emergency responders received the call for help at 1:11 p.m. Sunday.
See Child, Page 3A
SMALL BUSINESS BANQUET THURSDAY
For Williams, writing hits came naturally Legend to receive ‘Lifetime’ award at Thursday’s banquet By BILLY LIGGETT bliggett@sanfordherald.com
SANFORD — Maurice Williams isn’t a household name like some of the other musicians from the late 50s, early 60s. But his music? Instantly recognizable. His biggest hits were classic love
HAPPENING TODAY n Bid on auction items, eat food and join in the laughter while helping the cats and dogs of Chatham Animal Rescue and Education, Inc., from 6-9 p.m. at the General Store Café in Pittsboro during the the seventh annual Burrito Bash fundraiser CALENDAR, PAGE 2A
ONLINE Hear The Herald’s entire interview with Maurice Williams and watch YouTube clips of his hits at the online version of this story. sanfordherald.com
stories that became staples in the early days of rock ‘n roll. And just when you thought Maurice Williams was going to fade away from the airwaves, a little 80s movie called “Dirty
Dancing” revived his biggest hit and his career. A native of South Carolina and current resident of Charlotte, the 70-year-old Williams will be honored Thursday at the Sanford Area Chamber of Commerce and CCCC Small Business Banquet, set to begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center. Williams will receive the event’s “Lifetime Achievement Award,” which has been given to NASCAR
See Williams, Page 3A
High: 85 Low: 55
Song writer and performer Maurice Williams will be the guest of honor at Thursday’s Small Business Banquet.
INDEX
More Weather, Page 12A
OBITUARIES
SCOTT MOONEYHAM
Sanford: Pauline Childers, 71; Lucille Hall, 80; Fletcher McBride, 46; Mabel Owen, 80; Bobby Robinson, 59 Aberdeen: Lena Caddell, 81
A look back at the plan to impose the late fees on consumer loans
Page 4A
Abby, Graham, Bridge, Sudoku............................. 7B Classifieds ..................... 10B Comics, Crosswords....... 8-9B Community calendar .......... 2A Horoscope ........................ 7B Obituaries......................... 5A Opinion ............................ 4A Scoreboard ....................... 4B