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The Courier Times SATURDAY, Feb. 5, 2011 Serving All of Person County Since 1881 Copyright The Courier-Times inc. 2011 All Rights Reserved Weather Outlook TODAY; Hi 49 Lo 28 SUNDAY; Hi 53 Lo 30 MONDAY; Hi 57 Lo 32 TUESDAY; Hi 45 Lo 20 75c Our 129th Year — No. 11 Roxboro, North Carolina Two Sections — 22 Pages www.personcountylite.com Reports of influenza cases on the rise I Flu-related absences have been at 'a peak' this week in Person County Schools By GREY PENTECOST C-T Staff Writer greypentecost@roxboro-courier.com North Carolina was hit hard by the flu last week, during which six flu- associated deaths were reported in the state, according to the N.C. Weekly In fluenza Summary. The Person County Health Department (PCHD) and Person County Schools have also been receiv ing reports of flu-like illness. The surveillance summary stated that the state epidemiologist reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that the “geographic spread of influenza in the state was widespread last week.” The State Laboratory of Public Health identified 55 positive influenza results among 89 specimens submitted last week and hospital-based Public Health Epidemiologists reported 444 positive influenza results. Two of the reported deaths were pediatric, four adult. Two other flu- associated deaths in North Carolina were reported earlier this month — one pediatric, one adult. Roberta Powell with the PCHD has been encouraging those who call and complain of flu-like symptoms to go to their doctors and get tested for the virus. The symptoms she said, could be in dicative of other illnesses. If a person does have the flu, tests would determine the strain of the virus, which would be helpful when reporting statistics. Shannon Pointer, lead nurse with PCS, commented, “This week [PCS has] seen a peak in absences due to flu-like illness.” Pointer said that parents should consult with their healthcare provider if their child is sick, adding that it is recommended students be fever-free for 24 hours before coming back to school. The health department is encourag ing Personians to get flu shots; however, a person may get the virus if exposed to it prior to getting the shot, or within the first two weeks afterwards, since it takes a couple of weeks for the vaccine to enter the system and provide immu nity, explained Powell. Furthermore, she said the shot may not cover all strains of the virus circulating, and is not guaranteed to prevent contraction of the flu. Powell advised that to help prevent the spread of the virus, people should wash their hands often and sneeze into the crook of the arm or a tissue rather than the hand. Library attempting to collect nearly $70,000 in fees owed By PHYLISS BOATWRIGHT C-T Staff Writer pboatwright@roxboro-courier.com Over 640 patrons of the Person County Public Library will receive a letter soon asking them to either return or pay for overdue materials. Interim Library Director Christy Bondy said this week that she had consulted Tax Administrator Russell Jones and sent a letter to all patrons who are age 18 or over and who owe $50 or more for materials that have been overdue for 60 days or longer. The total amount owedtothe library in delinquent accounts is $69,335.35, ac cording to Assistant County Manager Gene Hodges. Bondy said, once the patrons receive the letter, they have 30 days to resolve their delinquency. If they do not either return the materials or pay overdue fines, the patrons will then be referred to the state Department of Revenue and the fines will be deducted from income tax refunds, if any refund over the amount of $50 is owed by the state. Jones said the county had “been using this collection method for the tax office. Emergency Management Services, and the health department since 2007.” N.C. General Statute 105A reads: “The purpose of this Chapter is to es tablish as policy that all claimant agen cies and the Department of Revenue See LIBRARY page AlO INSIDE Saturday Agenda Classified Court Editorial Legal Notices.. Looking Back.. Pentecost Sports TV Listings ....A2 Churches/Religion B2-3 .B8-9 Commentary A5 B7 Do You Know A3 A4 Education A9 B9 Lifestyle B4 A3 Obituaries A11 A2 Realty Transfers B7 . A6-8 Tax Page B6 B5 0 8 6 9 6 4 8 7 9 Grey Pentecost / C-T PREPARING TO SEARCH — Rescue workers from multiple local, state and regional agencies searched Mayo Lake this week in an attempt to find a canoeist missing since Monday morning. Search for missing canoeist at Mayo Lake scaled back By TIM CHANDLER Courier-Times Editor tchander@roxboro-courier.com The search for a canoeist missing since Monday at Mayo Lake has been scaled back and is officially being termed a recovery effort now. Rescuer workers from multiple local, state and regional agencies worked fe verishly from midday Monday through Thursday scouring Mayo Lake in search of Chad Lee Napier, 32, of 275 Crystal Springs Rd. in Timberlake. Late Thursday, the search was scaled back, according to Person County Sher iff Dewey Jones. Jones said that sheriff’s deputies and North Carolina Wildlife officers will continue the search for Napier by boat twice a day Rescue workers have been searching an area of Mayo Lake near Buck Street Road since Monday. That area of the lake, Jones said, has water depths of 60 to 70 feet with little to no visibility. “About 30 feet down, the visibility is about 12 inches,” Jones said. “Further down, there is no visibility.” Divers searched an area of interest detected by sonar equipment this week, but windy conditions made the recovery effort even more difficult. The surface temperature of the Mayo Lake waters was 39 degrees this week, Jones said, adding that the temperature further down is even colder. Napier and Alan Brent Foushee, 40, of 163 Anderbrock Dr. reportedly spent Sunday night in a camper at the lake. Foushee told investigators he heard Napier yelling for help early Monday and saw him and a capsized canoe in the water. Foushee reportedly swam out to attempt to assist Napier. Foushee said he had trouble returning to shore due to the cold water conditions. He added that when he got back to shore he did not see Napier or the canoe. The canoe was located Monday af ternoon, according to Jones, and was capsized when it was located. The canoe was located south of the search area and had likely drifted due to a steady wind Monday, the sheriff said. Jones reiterated Friday that “at this time” foul play is not suspected in the incident. Revaluation could be delayed by commissioners Monday By TIM CHANDLER Courier-Times Editor tchandler@roxboro-courier.com The Person Board of County Com missioners will consider a proposal to delay revaluation for an additional year when it meets Monday night in regular session. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the commissioners’ boardroom at the Person County Office Building. See REVALUATION page AlO City council to receive budget plans Tuesday By PHYLISS BOATWRIGHT C-T Staff Writer pboatwright@roxboro-courier.com Roxboro City Council members will receive a proposed 2011-12 fiscal year budget development calendar from City Manager Jon Barlow when they meet in regular session next week. Barlow is proposing that city de partment heads turn in their capital improvement plan requests to him by Tuesday and that department heads submit their budget requests by March 8. The first print draft of the budget should be ready for council members by May 6, Barlow projects, with bud get work sessions planned for May 18 and 25. The manager is proposing to hold a public hearing on the city budget on June 14, following a June 6 finalized draft of the budget. He is calling for adoption of the budget on June 21, at a special meeting of city council. Also on the agenda for next week’s See COUNCIL page AlO Roxboro native Jim Thorpe released from prison, can return to pro golf April 1 By TIM CHANDLER Courier-Times Editor tchandler@roxboro-courier.com Roxboro native and professional golfer Jim Thorpe has been released from a minimum-secu rity federal prison in Montgomery, Ala. Thorpe was released late last month after serv ing over nine months of a one-year sentence for failing to pay income taxes. He will serve the remainder of his sentence at a halfway house in Florida. Last January, Thorpe was sentenced to prison in federal court in Orlando, Fla. He began his sentence on April 1 of last year. In September of 2009, Thorpe pleaded guilty to two counts of failure to pay income taxes. Thorpe was facing up to two years in federal prison and a fine of over $4.1 million. In addition to his prison sentence, Thorpe was fined $2 million by US. Magistrate Judge Karla R. Spaulding and he was sentenced to two years of supervised probation following his release. Thorpe, 61, has recorded 13 victories on the Champions Tour, formerly known as the Senior PGA Tour. He also tallied three wins during his tenure on the PGA Tour. During his professional career, Thorpe has earned more than $13 million. Thorpe will be eligible to return to the Champi ons Tour as a competitor in April of this year. He was suspended from Champions Tour competition last year. That suspension expires March 31. “He can start playing the minute he’s able,” Champions Tour president Mike Stevens told Golfweek. “Thorpe has always been a great per sonality — great with fans and pro-am partners and sponsors. “I’m sure he will be equally as good when he comes back,” Stevens added. “We’ll welcome him back with open arms.” According to a report last year in the Orlando Sentinel, Judge Spaulding praised Thorpe’s history of community service. “This is such a troubling case to me,” the judge was quoted as saying. “This is not an example for anybody to follow.” Spaulding said that while Thorpe did not pay his taxes, he did donate money to his church and volunteered his time to help children. In 2005, Thorpe donated $247,500—his entire winnings for finishing first in a Champions Tour event — to his church. Crossings Community Church. While Thorpe was giving with his money and time, however, the judge noted that he was also paying for a Mercedes, a large home and hefty personal expenses. Thorpe initially faced seven charges in con nection with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) See THORPE page AlO Roxboro native Jim Thorpe Getty Images
The Roxboro Courier (Roxboro, N.C.)
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