WILMINGTON LANEY 11 • LEE COUNTY 2
Rough start for Jackets Lee County’s eight-game winning streak was snapped in first game of Regional Finals series; Game 2 at 11 a.m. today • Page 1B
The Sanford Herald SANFORDHERALD.COM • 50 CENTS
SATURDAY, MAY 29, 2010
QUICKREAD
CITY OF SANFORD
GULF OIL SPILL
Council haggles over arts, tax A $40.5 million budget for the city could be approved as early as Tuesday By BILLY BALL bball@sanfordherald.com
OBAMA FACES ANGER, FEAR ON GULF TRIP
President Barack Obama personally confronted the spreading damage wrought by the crude gushing into the Gulf of Mexico — and the bitter anger that’s rising onshore
SANFORD — Sanford leaders inched closer to wrapping up budget talks Friday, lobbing proposals to reduce the city’s property tax rate and restore funding for a handful of
nonprofits like the Lee County Arts Council and the Temple Theatre. No official action was taken Friday, but the Sanford City Council could approve a proposed $40.5 million spending plan as early as Tuesday following a public hearing at its
regularly scheduled meeting. City Manager Hal Hegwer has advised the council to maintain Sanford’s 54-cent property tax rate, but officials talked Friday of shaving at least a penny off that levy, pointing to Sanford’s healthy savings account as sufficient to
cushion the blow to revenues. “When times are bad, it’s time to give back to the people,” said Sanford Mayor Pro Tem Mike Stone. Councilman Sam Gaskins called on city leaders to as-
See Budget, Page 5A
SUMMER’S HERE ... UNOFFICIALLY
Page 8A
STATE
TRIANGLE MAN CROSSES CHANNEL WITH BALLOONS
An adventurer from Raleigh crossed the English Channel on Friday carried by a bundle of helium balloons, ending a quiet and serene flight by touching down in a French cabbage patch Page 6A
CLOSINGS MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY CLOSINGS THE HERALD n The Herald’s office will be closed Monday and will reopen under regular hours Tuesday.
SCHOOLS
n Lee County Schools: All calendars — school will be closed Monday and will reopen Tuesday. n Grace Christian School: School will be closed Monday and will reopen Tuesday. n Lee Christian School: School will be closed Monday and will reopen Tuesday.
GOVERNMENT
n Lee County: All departments will be closed on Monday. n City of Sanford: All departments will be closed on Monday. n All state and federal agencies, including the United States Post Office located at 1200 S. Horner Blvd. will be closed Monday.
OTHER
n All banks in the area will be closed Monday. n The Sanford Area Chamber of Commerce will operate under regular hours today and will be closed Monday.
Vol. 80, No. 125 Serving Lee, Chatham, Harnett and Moore counties in the heart of North Carolina
ASHLEY GARNER/The Sanford Herald
Caelan Tolliver, 8, takes a break from the heat on Friday in downtown Sanford at Depot Park. Memorial Day weekend, which includes the opening of the fountain at the park, usually signifiies the unofficial start to summer.
ELECTION 2010
UNEMPLOYMENT
Early voting to begin in Dem. primary runoff
Jobless rate falls again in N.C., Lee County
By BILLY BALL bball@sanfordherald.com
SANFORD — Voting will begin soon in the primary runoff between Democratic U.S. Senate candidates Elaine Marshall and Cal Cunningham. Primary Election Day is Tuesday, June 22, but early voting will begin Thursday and last until Saturday, June 19, according to the Lee County Board of Elections. The only contest on the ballot pits Marshall against Cunningham, with the winner to joust with Republican incumbent Richard Burr in November. Marshall grabbed the most votes, or about 36 percent statewide, in primary voting
HAPPENING TODAY n Local farmers will be selling their fresh products from 9 a.m. to noon at Deport Park in downtown Sanford as part of the weekly Sanford Farmer’s Market. To get involved or to learn more, e-mail David Montgomery at david.montgomery@sanfordnc.net. CALENDAR, PAGE 2A
this month, but failed to grab a majority of votes among a crowded field of competitors. Cunningham finished second with 27 percent of the total vote. Marshall fared well in Lee County, picking up 1,333 votes, or about 55.8 percent, of primary ballots cast. Cunningham registered 669 votes, or about 28 percent, in Lee County. Only Democrats and unaffiliated voters who were eligible to vote in the May 4 primary will be allowed to vote in the second primary. Also, unaffiliated voters who cast ballots in the Republican primary this month
See Runoff, Page 5A
By JONATHAN OWENS owens@sanfordherald.com
SANFORD — Lee County’s unemployment continued a dramatic downward trend in April, falling by a full percentage point for the secondstraight month. The N.C. Employment Security Commission reported Friday that 12.3 percent of Lee County’s workforce were unemployed in April, down from 13.3 in March. The report stated that 22,468 of Lee’s 26,000 workers held jobs in April, which saw the lowest unemployment rate since December 2008. Lee County Economic Development Director Bob Heuts said the increase in
High: 79 Low: 66
BY THE NUMBERS Jobless rates for April in area counties: County Rate (in percent) Lee 12.3 percent Harnett 10.5 Moore 9.2 Chatham 7.1 Wake 8 Source: NCESC
jobs in Lee County has been steady across all industries. “People are hiring five or 10 people at a time, which is how we went downhill as well,” he said, “Companies are seeing incremental improvement, and (rehiring) won’t be en masse. It’s going to be
See Jobs, Page 5A
INDEX
More Weather, Page 12A
OBITUARIES
D.G. MARTIN
Sanford: Woodell Headen, 85 Cameron: Larry Honeycutt, 57 Siler City: Sandy Jean Kline, 57 Edmond, Okla.: David Thomas, 88
A new book by author Lee Smith is the talk of the state reading circles
Page 4A
Abby, Graham, Bridge, Sudoku............................. 5B Classifieds ....................... 9B Comics, Crosswords.......... 7B Community calendar .......... 2A Horoscope ........................ 5B Obituaries......................... 5A Opinion ............................ 4A Scoreboard ....................... 4B