SPORTS: Mellette becoming a star on Elon gridiron • Page 1B
The Sanford Herald THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2010
SANFORDHERALD.COM • 50 CENTS
SILER CITY
SANFORD
STANDOFF ENDS IN MAN’S DEATH
Details of suit’s settlement are sealed
Registered sex offender shot at deputies who were trying to serve arrest warrant By BILLY BALL bball@sanfordherald.com
SILER CITY — A tense day-long police standoff with a man who fired shots from his home ended Wednesday afternoon with that man’s death. Deputies with the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office determined Wednesday afternoon that the man, identified as 38-year-old Jason Arthur
Teleki, was dead from a gunshot wound to the head. The standoff at the Greenhill Teleki Drive residence began around 6 p.m. Tuesday when deputies tried to serve Teleki,
See Standoff, Page 7A
WESLEY BEESON/The Sanford Herald
Chatham County sheriff’s deputy cars line Greenhill Drive Wednesday, the site of a day-long standoff with a registered sex offender who traded shots with officers who were serving a warrant.
House candidate’s 2007 deal after suit by satellite giant protected by clause By BILLY BALL bball@sanfordherald.com
QUICKREAD
ANIMAL CONTROL
HERALD FORUM
ORDINANCE CHANGES ARE WELCOME NEWS
CANDIDATES FORUM SET FOR OCT. 7 AT CIVIC CENTER
Candidates for Lee County Board of Commissioner, U. S. Congress and N. C. House of Representatives have been invited to The Herald’s candidates forum, scheduled for 5:45 p.m. (the forum will being at 6:45 after an hour-long meet-and-greet reception) on Oct. 7. at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center.
Candidates invited are: ■ Lee County Board of Commission District 2 (incumbent Amy Dalrymple and challenger Charlie Parks), District 3 (incumbent Linda Shook and challenger Mike Womble) and District 4 (Butch Johnson and James Womack, who are seeking the seat of Jamie Kelly, who’s not seeking re-election). ■ U.S. House District 2 incumbent Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington) and Republican challenger Renee Ellmers ■ N.C. House of Representatives incumbent Jimmy Love Sr. (D-Sanford) and Republican challenger Mike Stone The format for the forum will include questions submitted by Herald readers. To submit a question, e-mail it to news@sanfordherald.com.
See Settlement, Page 7A
Herald file photo
A dog looks out of his cage at the Lee County Animal Shelter, which is under the control of the Lee County Health Department. The department will present an overhauled animal code ordinance before the county commissioners in the coming months.
Last changes to code were made in ’97 By BILLY LIGGETT bliggett@sanfordherald.com
POLITICS
PELOSI HASN’T LIVED UP TO ETHICS PROMISE House Speaker Nancy Pelosi promised four years ago that Democrats would lead “the most honest, most open, most ethical Congress in history.” But as her party defends its record with its majority in jeopardy, two prominent Democrats await ethics trials. Two other party members gave Congressional Black Caucus Foundation scholarships to relatives. Most importantly, lobbyists, corporations and special interests still have unimpeded ways to buy access to members of Congress.
SANFORD — It’s been 13 years since the Lee County Health Department revised its animal control ordinance. Department Director Howard Surface has only been here for two of those years, and in that time, animal control has been the issue he’s heard about most. “It’s by far the most talked about topic I deal with,” said Surface. “Obviously, it’s an issue we had to deal with.” The Health Department is finishing up the final draft of a completely overhauled ordinance that Surface expects to present to the Lee County Board of Commissioners in early 2011. The most recent draft of the 32-page ordinance, which The Herald received this week, redefines what constitutes animal abuse, adds a proposed law that prohibits tying up pets for extended periods of time and restructures the fines and fee costs for those who don’t
Full Story, Page 10A
Vol. 80, No. 227 Serving Lee, Chatham, Harnett and Moore counties in the heart of North Carolina
SANFORD — The details of Mike Stone’s settlement of a 2003 illegal pirating suit with satellite television provider DirecTV will remain sealed, the company said this week. A spokesman for the company said a confidentiality clause in the Sanford city councilman and N.C. House Republican candidate’s deal with DirecTV bars the release of the terms of the accord. “The matter was resolved between the parties and that’s as far as I can go,” DirecTV spokesman Robert Mercer said Tuesday, adding that the company dropped their case for an “undisclosed amount.” The settlement, which was struck in June 2007, followed DirecTV’s allegations that Stone purchased devices used to pirate satellite broadcasts. It was not clear whether that agreement included
HAPPENING TODAY The Sanford Area Chamber of Commerce will host a “Lunch and Learn” featuring a program on the new free service provided by the district attorney’s office replacing the old system of processing worthless checks. Lunch is from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost is $10. RSVP at www. sanford-nc.com. CALENDAR, PAGE 2A
IMPROVEMENTS According to Howard Surface with the Lee County Health Department, Animal Control ... in addition to revising the animal code ... is working toward the following improvements: ❏ Rescue groups: Continued work with groups like CARA to find animals homes ❏ Mutual aid agreement: Commissioners will hear a proposal for the county to enter an agreement with other counties so animals can be transferred in the event of an emergency or natural disaster ❏ Feedback: The department will encourage feedback from the community and rescue groups ❏ Hands-on shelter reviews by veterinarians and pharmacist consultants
follow the rules or abuse their animals. It also comes on the heels of the department’s decision to do away with its gas chamber used for euthanasia (Animal Control will opt
CHATHAM
Group seeks mentors for graduation projects
for injections to put animals down). In short, it’s the product of a committee of elected officials and animal lovers and it’s something Surface thinks will not only please those who defend animal rights, but also those who may worry about the costs involved in restructuring animal control. “I am very excited to see the positive direction the ordinance is going toward, and I am proud of the outcome,” said Kim Pritt, a longtime supporter of Carolina Animal Rescue and Adoption and former advisory board member. Pritt said she has followed the progress of the ordinance discussions and has been a self-described “strong advocate for changes in (the county’s) euthanasia practices and tethering guidelines.” “I look forward to continuing to identify improvements that will focus on the quality of life for the animals here,” Pritt said.
SILER CITY — Learning to play the banjo. Researching the Civil Rights Movement. Restoring old cars. Studying immunology. Whatever the topic, the dedication of Chatham County high school seniors to a particular interest can put them one step closer to graduating. Chatham Central, Northwood, Jordan-Matthews and Sage Academy are entering their second year of the Graduation Project, an intensive project students must complete in order to graduate. Students work one-on-one with a project mentor, and the Siler City-based nonprofit Chatham County Together! is looking for mentors for about 40 students for the fall semester. “These kids really benefit a lot from one-on-one atten-
See Animal, Page 3A
See Projects, Page 7A
High: 79 Low: 64
By ALEXA MILAN amilan@sanfordherald.com
INDEX
More Weather, Page 12A
OBITUARIES
KATHLEEN PARKER
Sanford: Ernest Adams, 70; George Seymour, 87 Broadway: Michael Thomas, 54 Durham: Barbara McLean, 59
A new viewpoint on America’s political divide after a few weeks in the Big Apple
Page 4A
Abby, Graham, Bridge, Sudoku............................. 6B Classifieds ....................... 9B Comics, Crosswords.......... 7B Community calendar .......... 2A Horoscope ........................ 6B Obituaries......................... 5A Opinion ............................ 4A Scoreboard ....................... 4B