SPORTS: Southern Lee grad among nation’s top receivers • Page 1B
The Sanford Herald TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2010
SANFORDHERALD.COM • 50 CENTS
GOVERNMENT
QUICKREAD
County OKs trimmed ethics code
OUR STATE
Approved version won’t allow board to reprimand for code violations
Authorities in New York arrested a convicted sex offender on Monday in the slaying of a North Carolina police chief’s daughter, hours after the lawman made an emotional plea for help
By BILLY BALL bball@sanfordherald.com
SANFORD — Lee commissioners signed off Monday on an updated code of ethics that eschewed an attorney-drafted procedure for vetting commissioners accused of wrongdoing.
The board voted unanimously at Commissioner Linda Shook’s request to approve the policy but remove language outlining a set of hearings and testimony to determine the merits of ethical complaints against commissioners. The discarded provisions
also allowed board members to censure, or officially reprimand, commissioners for code violations. “It has no meat,” Shook said Monday. “And I think voters have a way of censuring commissioners at election time.” Board of Commissioners
Chairman Richard Hayes said the panel will address allegations of ethical lapses as they come along, despite County Manager John Crumpton’s recommendation that the board have a procedure in place ahead of time.
See Ethics, Page 3A
FUN IN THE FALL • GROSS FARMS CORN MAZE
SUSPECT ARRESTED IN DEATH OF CHIEF’S DAUGHTER
Story, Page 6A
FATALITY
Woman killed crossing Hawkins By BILLY BALL bball@sanfordherald.com
WESLEY BEESON/The Sanford Herald
John and Tina Gross pose on Monday afternoon at the start of the corn maze, which salutes the city of Sanford this year.
GET LOST IN THE ART Gross Farms’ annual maze uses iconic building for its path By JENNIFER GENTILE jgentile@sanfordherald.com
SANFORD — John and Tina Gross’s 15 acres of cornfield may appear ordinary from the ground, but when viewed from above, a unique tribute to Sanford takes shape. The couple, proprietors of Gross Farms on Pickett Road, have been welcoming patrons to their annual corn maze since 2002. The design varies each year, and Tina got the idea for this year’s theme while participating in
the Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Sanford program. Her vision became reality with the help of Idaho-based contractor, Mazepplay. “I said, ‘I’d like to see the old city hall and the Sanford logo,’” she recalled. Her design also features brick and pottery — ”the two biggest things Sanford’s known for.” The final product incorporates all of these elements, John said, and was created by using a GPS and a tractor
See Maze, Page 3A
Submitted photo
An aerial view of this year’s cornmaze at Gross Farms in Sanford reveals the new Sanford logo and an iconic downtown Sanford building. Learn more about the maze at grossfarms.com.
SANFORD — A local woman was killed Saturday when she stumbled into the path of an oncoming motorist, Sanford police said. According to a report from the Sanford Police Department, Marlene Elizabeth Hamilton, 74, died when she was struck by a pickup truck on Hawkins Avenue Saturday afternoon. Hamilton, who lived at 447 Oak Branch Lane in Sanford, was crossing the street near the Hawkins Avenue Dodge dealership after 5 p.m. Saturday when she stumbled and fell in front of a truck carrying a trailer, a report said. The driver of the 2007 Dodge truck, Franklin D. Terrell of Timberlake, said he could not stop in time to avoid hitting Hamilton. A police report estimated Terrell was traveling 40 mph when he struck Hamilton on Hawkins Avenue. The speed limit on that section of the road is 45 mph. Sgt. Marshall Cox of the Sanford Police Department said Hamilton had a vision problem and likely didn’t see the oncoming truck until it was too late. “She tried to stop and that’s when she stumbled,” Cox said. Hamilton was pronounced dead by a Central Carolina Hospital doctor about 30 minutes later, police said. Terrell told police the trailer attached to his truck preventing him from stopping before he hit Hamilton. Drugs or alcohol are not believed to have been a factor in the accident.
A night view fo the giant ferris wheel at the Lee Regional Fair, which organizers said drew a record 30,000-plus people last week.
LEE REGIONAL FAIR
Organizers: Attendance sets record By JENNIFER GENTILE jgentile@sanfordherald.com
SANFORD — If attendance numbers are any indication, Lee Regional Fair organizers outdid themselves this year. “I would say it was a great fair; we had great participa-
Vol. 80, No. 220 Serving Lee, Chatham, Harnett and Moore counties in the heart of North Carolina
tion,” said Fair Chairman Ronnie Turner. “I think it was overall the best fair the Sanford Lion’s Club has ever produced.” More than 30,000 people came through the fair gates
See Fair, Page 3A
HAPPENING TODAY The Festival Singers of Lee County will rehearse at 7 p.m. in the choir room of First Presbyterian Church, located at 203 Hawkins Avenue in Sanford. This community group welcomes new and returning members to join and sing in the upcoming Dec. 5 holiday concert. Call 776-3624. CALENDAR, PAGE 2A
ONLINE Just because the fair’s over doesn’t mean the fair blog is done. The Herald will continue to post winners of various exhibitions and contests throughout the week. Go to sanfordherald.com and click the blue ribbon to see it.
WESLEY BEESON/ The Sanford Herald
High: 89 Low: 63
INDEX
More Weather, Page 10A
OBITUARIES
SCOTT MOONEYHAM
Sanford: Gracie Cameron, 59; Wilbert Fox, 87; Ruby Goins, 84; Marlene Hamilton, 74; Lula Pettus; Eva Williams, 98 Cameron: Glenda Flynn, 66
Public outcry over who’s been chosen to audit the State Bureau of Investigations
Page 4A
Abby, Graham, Bridge, Sudoku............................. 5B Classifieds ....................... 8B Comics, Crosswords.......... 6B Community calendar .......... 2A Horoscope ........................ 5B Obituaries......................... 5A Opinion ............................ 4A Scoreboard ....................... 4B