Newspapers / Morrisville and Preston Progress … / Sept. 26, 1996, edition 1 / Page 1
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The Published Monthly PRE>SEASON SHOT-Angela Helton and her husband, Duke running backs coach Clay Helton, posed before the football season for this photograph that appeared in Duke’s football yearbook and is being published in programs for all home games. But moments such as this are rare now since Clay is on the job seven days a week during the season. Duke grid coach’s wife not reaiiy home alone By Ron Page Angela and Clay Helton recent ly moved into a comfortable second-floor apartment with a lovely wooded view at Deerwood at Preston, an ^janment ccanplex just north of Preston Cwners. But Clay, who works seven days a week in stretches as long as 14 hours, hasn’t been home that much. That’s the way it is with college football coaches this time of the year. "I went shopping and bought him a toothbrush and toothpaste, a pillow and other things he might need." Angela Helton said. "It was just like sending him off to camp." Clay Helton is in his first sea son as running backs coach at Duke after one season as a gradu ate assistant coach. His career took a dramatic turn last Decem ber when he got a telephone call from Fred Goldsmith, Duke’s head coach. "We were back in Sugar Land, Texas where we both grew up, visiting with our families and it was quite a surprise," said Angela. "Fred told Clay he would like him to be a full-time coach with him at Duke this year and everyone was thrilled. We all went out to dinn^ together to celebrate." You have to understand the Heltons to appreciate the impaa of that call. Angela said Clay has wanted to coach football ever since he was 15 years old, the time they met at Clements High School in Houston. "Clay’s father and grandfather have been in volved in the game most of their lives, and for Clay to realize the dream of being a college coach was really very special." The young couple never dated in high school. In fact, he went out with her friend, and she went out with his friend. "We have pic tures of us going to the same event, but with other dates.” she said. They graduated together and she set out for Texas A&M and he went off to Auburn on a foot ball scholarship. That was in 1990. "Clay’s father [Kim Helton] had b^n coaching with the Hous ton Oilers, but a few weeks after Clay’s high school graduation, he went to Los Angeles and the Raiders, and later to the Miami Dolphins," Angela explained. "This was the start of a time when so many things were changing." After a semester she decided she wanted to be with Clay, so she transferred to Auburn. Un- fwtunately, the transfer came at the time that school's football IMX)gram went on NCAA proba tion. Clay’s father, meanwhile, was named head coach at the Univer sity of Houston and Clay trans ferred there with two of his team mates. He would earn letters as a quarterback for two seasons and was named captain his senior year. "I transferred back to the Uni versity of Houston for my senior year, and we both graduated in 1994," Angela pointed out. It was about that time that Duke Coach Fred Goldsmith became an important part of their lives. Angela explains: "Clay’s father had met Fred years before when he was a senior at Coral Gables High School and Fred was one of the assistant high school coaches. Fred coached at Rice while Clay was in college, so when he heard See DUKE, page 3 IN THE KITCHEN-When he’s not running the show at his restaurant, Scott Beerntan chairs the Morrisville Planning and 2bning Board and is the upcoming president of the Chamber of Commerce. Morrisville & Preston ress Sflptemb'^26TT9Bi Former mayor wants job Controversial town post draws protest during meeting By Ron Page Former Morrisville mayor and commissioner Wade Davis stepped forward Monday night as a candi date for the controversial job as the town’s administrative services commissioner. His announcement at a meeting of the Morrisville Board of Com missioners followed Sunday’s first newspaper advertisement, which set CteL 18 as the deadline for all applications. The newly-created position be came the center of vehement protests at the governing body’s last meeting in August. More than 40 citizens showed up to contest the position at that time, calling it unnecessary. The salary range for the position is $39,600 to $58,507. Davis, who lives on Family Farm Road, served as mayor from 1975- to 1977. He sulxnitted a letter dur ing the meeting that listed his ac- ccwnplishments while a member of the board and as mayor. The 58-year-old Davis retired in 1994 after 27 years as a field tech nician with a Raleigh office pro- Passersby spy patch of pot By Ron Page A field of marijuana plants with a street value of about $15,000 was discovered in Morrisville earlier this month after an automobile broke down on Interstate 40 near Airport Boulevard and its oc cupants happened to notice the plMts growing nearby while wait ing fw help to arrive. Morrisville Police were called and were amazed at what they found - an area of about 20 by 30 feet filled with mature marijuana plants, each about six or seven feet tall, ready for harvesting. "It was an odd turn of events," explained Morrisville Police Chief Bruce Newnam. "What made the discovery unusual is that the loca tion isn’t exactly a site in the back- woods. To plant a crop of that value, and t^e care of it during growth, either mean someone was awfijlly careless about hiding it or overly confident ihtu no one would suspect plants were being grown there and that it would go un noticed in such a public place." Chief Newnam said officers EJ. Hanks, Donald Tilley and J.W. Cheeks responded to the call by the stranded motorist "What we found were healthy marijuana plants growing in a well-cared-for plot of ground with access through a sort of path that bad been opened through the brush," Officer Cheeks explained. Chief Newnam said helicopters are in and out of nearby Raleigh- ducts firm. A lifelong resident of Morrisville, he has become in volved in raising ostrich-like emu birds at his three-aae site as a source for a variety of products. The first advertisonent seeking applicants was published this Sun day in the News & Observer’s classified sectiem. Town Manager David Hodgkins said it was the first action taken by the town since the positiem was approved by a 4-1 count during the often-times hostile meeting. Commissioner Mark Silver-Smith voted against the proposal. At that session, Mayor Margaret Broadwell, who does not have a vote, expressed hCT disapproval as well, claiming Hodgkins had been pressured into backing the sug gested move. Hodgkins denied the ass^on. Several members of the audience, as well as Silver-Smith, alleged the position was being crewed for for mer Mayor Ernest Lumley, who stepped down in May of 1995 after moving to Nash County. He is cur rently a purchasing agent fOT the state Department of Transportation. His wife, Evelyn, has been town clerk since June of 1977. During Monday night’s meeting, Randy Wafldns of Airpot Boule vard, one of those who led the protest at the August session, told commissionCTs he felt the salary proposed for the position should in step be allocat^ for more sewer facilities for the Shiloh area. "Fifty thousand dollars is a lot of money. Do away with the job and put die money toward sewers for Shiloh," he urged. Watkins said he talked to Hodgkins by telephone last Thurs day and asked him what he thought about the job. "He told me he was going to turn a negative into a posi tive. Isn’t that right, David?" he asked the town manager. Hodgkins said he could not recall making the statement. "Like Reagan," a member of the audience called out. "He can’t re member." Watkins said the town was al ready looking for a deputy fire sfIsilspi'fys 'Mmi A- ii?:' TALL GRASS-Lisa Day-Cobb, administrative assistant for the Morrisville Police Department, takes notes as three officers check out marijuana plants discovered just off Interstate 40 near Airport Boulevard. On the scene, clociwise from top left, were Officer Clyde Moore, Chief Bruce Newnam and Officer J.W. Cheek. Durham International on a daily basis, and the choppers are used by the National Guard in usual drug eradication law enforcanent pro grams. "Perfa^s whoever planted them felt the area was so obvious it would be overlotJted," he said. "I wiU say Ibis, though. It wasn’t simply a job of planting seeds and See PASSERSBY, page 2 chief and an inspector and that he asked Hodgkins how be rated the administrative position. "He told me it was way down on the list," said Watkins. Hodgkins answered by noting he said those two budgeted positions^ bad a higher priority than the administrative ser vices post Sunday’s adverti^^ent read as follows: "Administi^ve Services Coordinator-Morrisville, N.C. Rapid growth community in the heart of Research Triangle area. Assists the Town Manager in the performance of a variety of tasks in areas including zoning enforce ment, site inspections, economic development, purchasing, and han dling citizen complaints. Prefer de gree in Public Administration, Planning, or related degree and some experience in municipal oper ations. Beginning salary will depend on qualifications. Send resume to: Town Manager. P.O. Box 166, Morrisville, N.C. 27560 by Oct. 18,1996." Morrisville hops on Internet The Town of Morrisville and the McMTisville Chamber of Commerce will have their own home pages on the World Wide Web, effective the end of OciobCT. "We’re moving into the twenty- first century," ccanmented Chamber of CcMiunerce President Ray Ledb. "About 30 million people in the country browse the Internet these days, and we’re happy to be a part of what they will be able to see." Towns such as Morrisville are getting involved with home pages as a means of attracting new resi dents and businesses. Lech said it’s a great way for a town to get known and show what it offers to people from other areas. "Virtually everything and any thing you ever wanted to know about McMTisville will be found on c«e of the two pages to be off^ed," he said, adding tbat they will be up dated monthly. The Board of Commissioners ap proved the pages at its last meeting in August after Town Manager David Hodgkins said the pages will be free of charge for one year. The service was offered the town and chamber by Ben and Lauri Good win of Cary, owners of Adept Web Services. Hodgkins said the board a]q)roved free promotional services in exchange to the home pages. This will include a cham^ of Commerce membership for Ad^t Web Services. Lech said the ioftxmation sup- Sm MORRISVILLE, page 3 ‘Little guy’ who thinks big tapped as chamber chief By Ron Page He’s studied Shakespeare and emnposition in England, built bams in subzero weather in Vermont, done extensive meditation with a religious order led by a guru from India, and even tried making a living playing a guitar while living in the basement of a sorority house in Wisconsin. He also earned a pilot’s license when be was 16 and became a test pilot for a French company that designed short- takeoff planes. "When is that little guy going to figure out what he wants to do?" is a phrase be says he’s beard on far too many occasions. Today, Scott Beerman says he’s settled into a more mellow lifestyle. On Oct. I, he takes over as the new president of the Morrisville Cham ber of Commerce. He is also chairman of the Morrisville Plan ning and Zoning Board as well as a successful businessman who for more than 20 years has operated the Deli Box Restaurant on N.C. 54, a lunchtime institution for hundreds of workers and residents in the area of Research Triangle Park. "Life is good today," admits Beerman, who is 44 and single. "I’ve loved sports all my life and that’s still important, like playing tennis and golf. The Deli Box won the Durham City Softball Championship. But the test flying is a thing of the past," be says. So is the hang-gliding tbat became al most an obsession with him in the 1970s after he broke up with a long-time girlfriend. "I’ve never been one for the or dinary," Beerman says. "Excite ment is important to me. But I tell you, I could do without the excite ment Hurricane Fran thought to the Deli-Box." Power went off at the white building with the green awning at 11:57 pjn. on Sq>t. 5, cutting off the phone and pump for the sqitic system. He immediately took the meats and cheeses to the freezer facilities be has at bis henne on Ashe Street and to the next week pulled into the lot only to see the operated a generator at the restaurant to maintain temperatures in one of the freezers. Cleaning oc cupied the majOTity of his time. "I can’t tell you bow many cars sign I bad up saying power was off and we were closed," he explains. "Most are friends, many from RTP, and customers who make the place Sm ‘LITTLE,’ page 2 BULK RATE POSTAGE PAID MORRISVIll.E,N.C PERMIT *23 Delivered expressly to the residents of Morrisville and Preston
Morrisville and Preston Progress (Morrisville, N.C.)
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Sept. 26, 1996, edition 1
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