INSIDE: Bankruptcy may spell the end for Blockbuster Inc. • Page 10A
The Sanford Herald FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2010
SANFORDHERALD.COM • 50 CENTS
POLICE CHIEF’S DAUGHTER MURDERED
EDUCATION
CHARLOTTE WOMAN’S MURDER Moss: HITS HOME IN SANFORD District By BILLY BALL
SANFORD — The story of a Charlotte woman found dead inside of a mini-storage facility this week is hitting home in Sanford. The woman, 23-year-old Valerie Hamilton of Charlotte, was the daughter of Concord’s police chief and had several family members living in Sanford. Hamilton was reported missing last week and her body was found in an east Charlotte storage facility Sunday. A New York native with a
ahead of the curve
INSIDE
bball@sanfordherald.com
Harvey
The man accused of killing the Concord police chief ’s daughter was recovering from an undisclosed illness at a western New York jail Thursday, as he waited to be extradited to North Carolina Page 7A
history of criminal offenses, including sexual abuse, has been arrested in connection with her death. Sanford residents Ella May and Tony Williams are Hamilton’s grandparents, and the family said Hamilton had another aunt and uncle resid-
ing in Lee County too. Family members gathered Tuesday to memorialize Hamilton, a young woman whose death has garnered national media coverage and outrage
QUICKREAD
See Murder, Page 7A
Superintendent points to tests, initiatives in annual ‘State of the Schools’ AP photo
Valerie Hamilton was the daughter of Concord’s police chief. She also had family in Sanford.
HARNETT COUNTY
LEE COUNTY
STREAKING JACKETS LOOK FOR ANOTHER WIN At the midway point of the season, the Lee County football team has already qualified for the 4-A state playoffs. But the Yellow Jackets aren’t done just yet. Full Story, Page 1B
SOUTHERN LEE Submitted photo
Michelle Cline of Sanford was named Teacher of the Year for Harnett County Schools at a banquet on Sept. 16 in Lillington. She is a special education teacher at Western Harnett Middle School.
COACH: ‘WE CONTROL OUR OWN DESTINY’ After a grueling nonconference schedule that saw the Cavaliers play four 4-A opponents and a powerhouse 3A, it’s now time for Cape Fear Valley Conference play. Full Story, Page 1B
ELECTION 2010 STATE’S REPUBLICANS OFFER 10-POINT PLAN Republicans are traveling around the state presenting a 10-point plan they pledge they’ll work to pass if they win control of the Legislature, including reductions in spending and tax rates. The proposals also include cutting red tape for small business operators and requiring voters to present photo identification at the polls. Full Story, Page 9A
TO INFORM, CHALLENGE AND CELEBRATE
Vol. 80, No. 223 Serving Lee, Chatham, Harnett and Moore counties in the heart of North Carolina
TO THE TOP
Former bus driver now county’s ‘Teacher of the Year’ By ALEXA MILAN amilan@sanfordherald.com
LILLINGTON — When she was 16, Harnett County Schools gave Sanford resident Michelle Cline her first job as a bus driver for Boone Trail Elementary School. She’s come a long way since then, climbing the ranks to become Harnett County Teacher of the Year.
Cline is a special education teacher at Western Harnett Middle School in Lillington. She was recently named Teacher of the Year for the school, and at a Sept. 16 banquet at Campbell University, she learned she earned the same distinction for the whole county. “I was really happy that a special education teacher won the award, and I was also re-
ally happy to bring the award home to the western side of the county,” Cline said. Harnett County Schools has been a significant part of Cline’s life since she was a teenager. She began substitute teaching for Harnett and Lee County Schools after she graduated
See Teacher, Page 8A
By BILLY BALL bball@sanfordherald.com
SANFORD — A combination of rising test grades and school initiatives aimed at career prep indicate that Lee County Schools is outperforming its regional peers, Superintendent Jeff Moss told a crowd of parents and educators at Thursday’s “State of the Schools” address. “When you look at what we’re doing in comparison to other counties, it’s obvious that we’re doing a better job of educating the masses,” Moss said. Moss’ overview of Lee County Schools’ Moss performance and priorities is part of an effort among education heads to reach out to the community, officials said. According to Moss, the local schools and Central Carolina Community College make Lee County and Sanford attractive destinations for firms and corporations searching for a home base. Lee County has battled soaring unemployment in recent years. Moss said school leaders took a major step this year by phasing in hundreds of laptop computers for students in Deep River Elementary and B.T. Bullock Elementary, the site of Thursday’s presentation. Educators say the students will keep the same computers through their eighth-grade year. “One comment was that (the students) felt smarter as soon as they picked up the laptops,” Moss said Thursday. “Psychologically, if you feel smarter, you’re going to be smarter.” School leaders say they will look to present the bevy of laptop computers to two schools at the start of each year, one way that the system can help to shoulder
See Schools, Page 8A
OUR STATE
Study calls N.C. best at ‘protecting voters’ RALEIGH (AP) — North Carolina voters will have unique choices to make this fall when they rank their top three candidates among 13 people seeking a single Court of Appeals seat. While officials are still finalizing the mechanics of how those instant runoff votes will
HAPPENING TODAY J. Fletcher Rosser Day in Lee County will include a barbecue to benefit The Breadbasket from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. at St. Luke United Methodist Church. Tickets $8. CALENDAR, PAGE 2A
be counted, an outside report examining election policies in what it calls ten “swing” states in the Nov. 2 election provides comfort to some — and a warning from others about a format never used statewide in North Carolina. The study conducted by the
election reform group Demos and the good-government Common Cause said North Carolina has the strongest laws by far among the states examined to protect voters. It also said the state does a good job making sure their votes count. They point to laws that
High: 94 Low: 66
allow citizens to register and vote the same day during the early voting period, make it a felony to deliberately attempt to deceive voters with misinformation and count the choices of voters who wind up by mistake at the wrong precinct on Election Day.
INDEX
More Weather, Page 12A
OBITUARIES
SCOTT MOONEYHAM
Sanford: Nicolas Benitez; Elma Hickman, 93; Lillian Langley, 80; Bill Mawyer; Mozelle Mitchell, 92; Katherine Morris; Robert Otis, 71; Lula Pettus, 93
State Democrats face a challenge from a rejuvenated Republican party
Page 4A
Abby, Graham, Bridge, Sudoku............................. 6B Classifieds ....................... 8B Comics, Crosswords.......... 7B Community calendar .......... 2A Horoscope ........................ 6B Obituaries......................... 5A Opinion ............................ 4A Scoreboard ....................... 4B