75 YEARS OF SANFORD LIONS Like its award-winning fair, the Lions Club has grown with the years By ALEXA MILAN amilan@sanfordherald.com
T
he Sanford Lions Club has come a long way in its 75 years, growing from 20 charter members to one of the largest Lions Clubs in North Carolina. Throughout its many changes one thing has stayed the same: a commitment to serving Lee County for the sole purpose of helping those in need. When the club convenes to celebrate
its 75th anniversary Thursday, the members will reflect on the long list of causes they have supported: Christmas Cheer, Relay for Life, student eye screenings, leader dog programs, scholarship programs, clinical eye research, eyeglass collections, Boys and Girls Homes of North Carolina for neglected children and Camp Dogwood for the visually impaired, just to name a few.
Photo courtesy of Harry Thomas
Longtime Lions Club member Harry Thomas (left) and his wife Berta Thomas attach a big Lee County Fair bow tie to former N.C. Gov. Terry Sanford in 1962.
See Lions, Page 3A
The Sanford Herald WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2010
SANFORDHERALD.COM • 50 CENTS
ELECTION 2010
BUSINESS
Johnson to run in District 4
Expansion decision from CAT expected
Former sheriff candidate Democrats’ choice for commissioner in November By BILLY BALL bball@sanfordherald.com
SANFORD — Lee County Democrats have their man. Local party leaders confirmed late Monday that Butch Johnson, a former law enforcement officer and
QUICKREAD
magistrate who once ran for Lee County Sheriff, has been tapped to represent the party in the race for the county Board of Commissioners District 4 seat this fall. Johnson was selected in a unanimous vote by party members Monday night, said
Democratic Party Chairman Ty Stumpf. He will replace former candidate Kenny Cole to compete against GOP opponent Jim Womack. Cole bowed out of the race
See Butch, Page 6A
I’m not left, I’m not right, I like to be a common sense kind of guy.’
‘
— Butch Johnson,
Johnson
District 4 candidate
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT • MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 7A
Company could bring more than 300 new jobs to Lee County By BILLY BALL
NATION
bball@sanfordherald.com
DISGRUNTLED WORKER KILLS 8 IN CONNECTICUT A warehouse driver who a union official said was caught on video stealing beer from the distributorship where he worked went on a shooting rampage there Tuesday, killing eight people and wounding two before committing suicide Page 19A
STATE PERDUE ALMOST DONE WITH STACK OF BILLS Gov. Beverly Perdue is almost done with the stack of bills left on her desk by the North Carolina General Assembly when it adjourned last month, signing at least seven more into law on Tuesday
Neighbors bond for a ‘Night Out’
Page 8A
GULF OIL SPILL
BP embarked Tuesday on an operation that could seal the biggest offshore oil leak in U.S. history once and for all, forcing mud down the throat of its blown-out well
Dozens of communities in Sanford and Lee County came together Tuesday for the National Night Out, an event designed as an act of solidarity for neighborhoods in their continued fight against crime. (ABOVE) Evelyn Miller, 2, shows off her face painting during the National Night Out event on Eames Drive Community on Tuesday. (LEFT) Sanford Police Chief Ronnie Yarborough, shares laughs with Jasper Marshall during the event on Pineland and Martin streets.
Page 12A
WESLEY BEESON/The Sanford Herald
BP HOPES TO SEAL LEAK BY PACKING IT WITH MUD
Vol. 80, No. 182 Serving Lee, Chatham, Harnett and Moore counties in the heart of North Carolina
HAPPENING TODAY The N.C. Department of Agriculture’s “Got to Be NC” program will be at the Walmart in Sanford from 4 to 6 p.m. featuring the Got to Be NC Big Cart, a giant grocery cart measuring more than 15 feet in length CALENDAR, PAGE 2A
High: 96 Low: 73
SANFORD — Lee County officials talked Tuesday of an impending decision from worldwide construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar on a proposed $31 million expansion of its Sanford facility. County Board of Commissioners Chairman Richard Hayes declined to release any specifics on the much-discussed expansion, which could include up to 322 new jobs, but said Tuesday afternoon that an announcement would “very likely” be made in the next 24 hours. Hayes spoke in a hopeful tone about the coveted project, in which Lee County has been vying with leaders in Florence, S.C., for the major expansion. “It’s been a great day,” Hayes said. “I enjoy what I’m doing and I think economic expansion is very, very important.” Local leaders have touted the Caterpillar talks as a major opportunity for recessionbattered Lee County, which has weathered double-digit unemployment rates and largescale industrial layoffs in recent years. Just days ago, the manufacturer announced that it would be building a facility with more than 500 new jobs in WinstonSalem. North Carolina was reportedly competing against South Carolina for that prize as well. County commissioners agreed in June to offer $900,000 in upfront money to woo the machinery giant, part of a multi-component plan that
See CAT, Page 6A
INDEX
More Weather, Page 12A
OBITUARIES
R.V. HIGHT
Sanford: Katherine Cameron, 92; Donald Clayton Sr., 65; Oscar Kelly, 78; Margaret Robertson, 84 Carthage: Cassie Holder, 92
Apparently there is such a thing as a free lunch at one local church
Page 4A
Abby, Graham, Bridge, Sudoku............................. 6B Classifieds ....................... 9B Comics, Crosswords.......... 7B Community calendar .......... 2A Horoscope ........................ 6B Obituaries......................... 5A Opinion ............................ 4A Scoreboard ....................... 4B