SPORTS: Eight-year-old girl a seasoned mud trucker • Page 1B
The Sanford Herald WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 2010
SANFORDHERALD.COM • 50 CENTS
E L E C T I O N 2 0 1 0 • M AY P R I M A R Y U.S. SENATE
U.S. HOUSE
Richard Burr breezed into the November election Tuesday night, but the fight between Cal Cunningham and Elaine Marshall was much closer Page 6A
Three candidates were vying for the chance to face Bob Etheridge in the November general election. See the results at our Web site sanfordherald.com
LEE COUNTY SCHOOLS
DISTRICT 4
Winners a mixed bag
Womack moves on in GOP primary Candidate will face Dem. Kenny Cole in November election By BILLY LIGGETT bliggett@sanfordherald.com
ASHLEY GARNER/The Sanford Herald
Lee County Board of Education incumbent Linda Smith (from left) candidate John Bonardi and current Board of Education member Rev. Shawn Williams check out the tally of votes on Tuesday evening. Smith and Bonardi finished first and third, earning seats on the board.
An incumbent, a former board member, a newcomer win seats By JONATHAN OWENS owens@sanfordherald.com
SANFORD — Voters decided Tuesday night they wanted a little of this and a little of that on the Lee County Board of Education. In a race that was decidedly polarized, challengers Mark Akinosho, Shannon Gurwitch and Kim Lilley stood together to point out the shortcomings of incumbents Ellen Mangum and Linda Smith along with former board member John Bonardi, who steadfastly held
together in their defense. But voters decided on a mixed bag Tuesday night, choosing Smith and Smith Bonardi along with newcomer Akinosho to take up the three available seats. Smith was the top vote getter, procuring 1,934 votes, while Akinosho gained 1,852 and Bonardi came in with 1,826. The results were unofficial,
THE RESULTS Results of Tuesday’s Lee County Board of Education election (with 100 percent of precincts reporting): Akinosho
Bonardi
though, because provisional and absentee ballots had yet to be counted. Lee County Board of Elections officials said they would not know until
See School, Page 7A
* Linda Smith * Mark Akinosho * John Bonardi Ellen Mangum Dana Atkins Shannon Gurwitch Kim Lilley
1,934 1,852 1,826 1,751 1,704 1,694 1,396
SANFORD — The Lee County Republican Party has its candidate who will try and gain control of the Board of Commissioners’ District 4 seat in November. Jim Womack defeated Tamara Brogan Womack with 59 percent of the vote (474-327) Tuesday night in the GOP primary, the board’s only contested primary this year. Womack, a retired FORSCOM commander and current systems analyst who’s touted his ability to attract BRAC families
See GOP, Page 7A THE RESULTS Results of Tuesday’s Lee County Board of Commissioners District 4 GOP primary: * Jim Womack Tamara Brogan
474 327
* - denotes winner * - denotes winner
BOY RECOVERING FROM FALL
CHATHAM COUNTY
Facebook support group for injured boy already at 2,700 members
Car rams scaffolding at charred courthouse
YOU CAN HELP
By BILLY BALL
Search “Fisher Hamilton” under “groups” at facebook. com to find a group dedicated to prayers and donations for the young Sanford boy. A benFisher efit fund has Hamilton been created at Crescent Bank to help the family pay for Fisher’s medical expenses.
Vol. 80, No. 104 Serving Lee, Chatham, Harnett and Moore counties in the heart of North Carolina
By BILLY BALL bball@sanfordherald.com
SANFORD — Good news continued to trickle out Tuesday about the recovery of a 5-year-old local boy injured when he fell down an elevator shaft in coastal North Carolina this weekend. Friends and family members of Fisher Hamilton, son of Sanford residents Sam and Alicia Hamilton, posted news of the boy’s progress throughout the day Tuesday on the social networking Web site Facebook.
HAPPENING TODAY Gross Farms will be located in front of the Central Carolina Hospital visitor entrance from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with fresh produce and strawberries. Proceeds benefit CCH Auxiliary Projects.
CALENDAR, PAGE 2A
Postings from the child’s mother Tuesday afternoon indicated the swelling on his face and head has gone down and Fisher Hamilton is recognizing family members. Another posting Tuesday morning said the boy had also asked his father for a glass of water. Fisher Hamilton suffered serious injuries — including broken bones, a collapsed lung, skull fractures and an orbital eye fracture — when he somehow fell from a residen-
PITTSBORO — A bad year for the Chatham County Courthouse just got stranger. Authorities say a Pittsboro man drove his car through the fence surrounding the firegutted courthouse Tuesday afternoon and smashed into the construction scaffolding surrounding the historic structure. Officer Troy Roberson with the Pittsboro Police Department said the man, identified as 77-
See Fisher, Page XA
See Chatham, Page 3A
bball@sanfordherald.com
High: 87 Low: 62
Submitted photo
A man drove his car through the fence surrounding the charred courthouse and smashed into the construction scaffolding Tuesday.
INDEX
More Weather, Page 12A
OBITUARIES
R.V. HIGHT
Sanford: Kathy Blackburn, 33;Malcolm Carter II, 74; Edward Foryan, 88; Otis Kelly, 97; Carolyn King, 64; Mabel Owen, 80; Annet Powers, 75
R.V. writes about what the National Day of Prayer means to him
Page 4A
Abby, Graham, Bridge, Sudoku............................. 6B Classifieds ..................... 10B Comics, Crosswords.......... 7B Community calendar .......... 2A Horoscope ........................ 6B Obituaries......................... 5A Opinion ............................ 4A Scoreboard ....................... 4B