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^Get Patriotic in Person' The Courier Times Weather Outlook TODAY: Hi 59 Lo 39 THURSDAY; Hi 65 Lo 46 See page A7 for info FRIDAY; Hi 74 Lo47 WEDNESDAY, Feb. 16,2011 Serving All of Person County Since 1881 Copyright The Courier-Times inc. 2011 All Rights Reserved 75c Our 129th Year — No. 14 Roxboro, North Carolina Two Sections — 20 Pages www.personcountylite.com Stricter attendance policy implemented at PHS By GREY PENTECOST C-T Staff Writer greypentecost@roxboro-courier.com As of Jan. 25, Person High School began operating under a more strict at tendance policy While it is early in the semester, PHS Principal Steve Hester said everything was running smoothly under the new rules so far. “We cannot maximize student learn ing if they do not come to school,” said Hester in a recent press release. “Simply put, we expect students to attend school to receive course credit.” One of the new requirements states. “following an absence in any class period from school, students must present a note from a parent/guardian or physi cian within five school days of returning from the absence.” The policy re-emphasizes the fact that notes submitted after five school days will not be accepted. Furthermore, the policy details that after the eighth absence, a student will be referred to the Attendance Commit tee, which will decide if credit will be awarded. However, it states that there is no guarantee that a student will receive credit after the eighth absence. The policy also says that after 10 “unlawful” absences, the case will be referred to court. Reasons that consti tute lawful absences are listed in the policy. One of the biggest changes in the See STRICTER back page Tve been waiting for three and a i:t 'I-1 half years now...' ■ Family, police still seek clues in 2007 murder of Roxboro man : XT By TIM CHANDLER Courier-Times Editor tchandler@roxboro-courier.com “I’ve been waitingfor three and a half years now for that call to come from the Roxboro Police Department to tell me, ‘We have them. We’ve made an arrest in your brother’s case.” Those were the words of Christie Henderson Tuesday when she spoke of the ongoing homicide investigation into the Aug. 26, 2007 death of her brother, Steven Thomas Yarbrough. Yarbrough, who was 46 at the time, was murdered in his residence at 106 Yarborough St. “I know the day will come sooner or later,” Henderson said referring to the search for Yarbrough’s killer(s). “Some one knows the story of what happened to my brother that night. “I just wish they would come forward and help us (his family) to put some kind of closure to this,” Henderson added. “A simple phone call with information could make this happen sooner.” Roxboro Police Det. Keith Daye said he has spent “countless” hours and days working on solving Yarbrough’s case. “This case has taken us from state- to-state, all the way from Georgia to Maryland,” Daye said. “I have been to different facilities and interviewed a lot See FAMILY backpage C-T file photo STILL SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS — Christie Henderson is shown in this 2009 photo in front a Durham Road billboard promoting reward money for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the 2007 murder of her brother, Steve Yarbrough, in his Yarborough Street home. ;:The Courier=Tiines This Week’s Question: What do you think is the best Valentine's Day gift? J Flowers _jDinner Stuffed Animal _|Candy Jewelry jOther Cast Your Vote On-Line At www.roxboro-courier.coni Partnership report: Economic development difficulties could impact young children PHYLISS BOATWRIGHT C-T Staff Writer pboatwright@roxboro-courier.com o/The Courier-Times. Editor’s note: Thefollowing is thefirst of two stories pertaining to the Person County Partnership for Children’s 2011 Community Assessment on the needs of young children. The second article will appear in the Saturday, Feb. 19 edition The Person County Partnership for Children, in its strategic planning, has updated the State of the County Report for Young Children, concluding that economic development difficulties could negatively impact young children here. According to the Partnership’s com munity assessment, household income has not increased significantly in Person County over the past three years. The median household income in 2009 was $45,335, which was an increase of only $3,400 from 2007. The Partnership’s study showed that the average weekly wage in Person County has dropped by about 10 percent since 2008. The average wage of $664 Turning lane project at intersection of Ridge Road/Chub Lake Street continues Results of our latest poll: What do you think is the best way for the county to eliminate a projected budget shortfall of $4.8 million? Raise property taxes -15% Cut departmental budgets by 5% - 6% Cut departmental budgets by 10%- 22% Eliminate some services - 3% Cut funding for schools - 4% Layoff some county personnel -11% All of the above - 12% Some of the above - 27% By PHYLISS BOATWRIGHT C-T Staff Writer pboatwright@roxboro-courier.com Work on the Ridge Road/Chub Lake Street intersection is moving forward in small increments. At last week’s regular February meeting of the Roxboro City Council, Assistant City Manager Tommy War ren reported that the city had received authorization for the funding to begin acquiring property rights-of-way for the project. “This will allow the project to con tinue,” Warren said. City council members voted back in July to move forward with a contract for engineering on the project that would widen the road, bring a turning lane and possibly a stoplight at the intersec tion. The proj ect has been in the works for a couple of years, but the N. C. Department of Transportation was slow in giving the city the go-ahead to get the engineering work done. The cost of the project is $250,360 and the NCDOT is responsible for 80 percent of that figure, which comes from federal highway funds. Summit Engineering was contracted to do the design, survey and bid admin istration of the project at a cost of ap proximately $51,000. Warren said the city was getting ready to work with three different property owners to acquire the rights-of-way The project is being done through a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant. The purpose of the work is to provide a left turning lane on Ridge Road so that cars will be able to turn right on Chub Lake without waiting for left-turning traffic, thus not idling as long, which contributes to air quality problems. The stoplight would allow cars to turn right on red from Ridge Road onto Chub Lake Street. Preliminary engineering design has been approved by DOT, Warren said. Approval was needed in order to get right-of-way authorization. here was about 20 percent less than the North Carolina average weekly wage of $817. The most current figures for unem ployment, according to the Partner ship’s assessment, show that 9.3 percent (November 2010 figures) of Personians are unemployed. That number is up from 5.5 in 2005. In2009,15 percent of all families here were considered as living below the poverty level, according to the report. That was up from 12.5 percent in 2003 and 13.8 percent in 2008. Person County has an overall lower cost of living than that of the state, but health costs here are relatively higher. The Partnership assessment con cluded that the erosion of purchasing power, evidenced in the weekly wage See PARTNERSHIP back page INSIDE Wednesday Agenda Commentary Editorial Extension Notes. Lifestyle Mini-Page Obituaries Sports A2 AS A4 AS B4-5 B7 A9 .A6-7 Classified Do You Know.... Entertainment.. Legal Notices... Looking Back... Movies.... Pentecost TV Listings ..B8-9 A3 B2-3 B9 A3 A2 A2 B6 4879 08696 Chamber president Marcia O'Neil named Main Street Champion at recent ceremony On Thursday, Jan. 17, Marcia O’Neil was honored as a 2010 Main Street Champion at the North Carolina Main Street Annual Awards Dinner in Shelby. O’Neil was selected for this recognition by Roxboro Development Group in appreciation of her “excep tional contributions to the downtown revitalization process.” Along with Champions from 33 other communities, she received a certificate commemorating this designation, pre sented by N.C. Secretary of Commerce J. Keith Crisco, Deputy Secretary Dale Carroll, Assistant Secretary for Com munity Development Henry C. McKoy Jr. and Office of Urban Development Director Liz Parham. Each of the state’s active Main Street programs is given the opportunity an nually to recognize a local Main Street Champion. “Main Street Champions are those individuals in our communities who step out in front, lead by example, defend and support our downtown vision and mission, and advocate for change,” said Parham. “They are board members and volunteers, elected officials and govern ment staff, business leaders, property owners and citizens who care. We cel ebrate these extraordinary individuals and thank them for their dedication,” she said. Following is a portion of the response from RDG regarding O’Neil’s recognition: “Marcia O’Neil serves as both treasur er and design committee chairman for Roxboro Development Group and during her four years with the organization has been responsible for many projects. She has organized art exhibits by local schools, daycares and the community college that have filled vacant uptown storefronts. She helps train and serves as an information resource for new execu tive directors. And she assumed the role of interim director when the Main Street organization was without an executive director for four months. “As president/CEO of the Roxboro Area Chamber of Commerce, Marcia is quick to partner with the Main Street program on ventures such as bringing in business speakers or hosting concerts. She is also responsible for expanding the Personality festival, now a two-day event, which draws more than 20,000 people to uptown Roxboro.” Main Street is a downtown revitaliza tion program for smaller towns based on economic development within the context of historic preservation. The North Carolina Main Street program, which provides technical assistance to its communities, is part of the Office of Urban Development in the Department of Commerce’s Division of Community Assistance. In 1980, North Carolina was one of six original states, selected from 38 that applied, to launch the work of the Na tional Trust for Historic Preservation’s National Main Street Center. The North Carolina Main Street program began with five participating cities — New Bern, Salisbury, Shelby, Tarboro and Washington—in September 1980 and has since grown to include 61 communities across the state. > 'll Marcia O'Neil
The Roxboro Courier (Roxboro, N.C.)
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Feb. 16, 2011, edition 1
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