SATURDAY
July 16,2011
Roxboro,
North Carolina
www.personcountylife.com
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Serving all of Person County since 1881
Couricr-®mejr
THE BASICS:
Focus is on fun at
Bullpen Baseball
Camp. A6
BANK PARTY:
Union Bank opens
in Roxboro in style
and with a promise
of service. B8
THE TRUTH:
New bookstore on
Madison Boulevard
offers homey feet
for customers. B8
SOUGHT:
The latest edition
of Person County's
Most Wanted. A3
VACATION:
The Word on the
Street question for
this week seeks the
summer plans of
Personians. A2
-]|
DEATHS
i[-
Larry Jimmy Davis, 65
Roxboro
James Lewis Epps, 86
Virgilina, Va.
Jessie Conway Smith, 33
Roxboro
Lewis Edward Winstead
Jr., 30
Roxboro
See Page All
-UMir-
AGENDA
A3
BOOKS
Bl
BUSINESS
B8
CLASSIFIED
BlO-11
COMMENTARY
AS
COURT
B6-7
DO YOU KNOW
A2
EDUCATION
B2
INSIDE NASCAR
A8
LEGAL NOTICES
BIT
LIFESTYLE
B3
LOOKING BACK
A2
MOVIES
A3
OBITUARIES
All
OPINION
A4
REALTY TRANSFERS
B6
SPORTS
A6-7
TV LISTINGS
B9
Our
129th year
Number 57
Two sections
24 pages
Copyright
2011
The Courier-Times Inc.
I rights reserved
PCCpartnering with
sheriffs department
for a safer campus
BY GREY PENTECOST
COURIER-TIMES STAEE WRITER
greypentetost@roxboto-tourier.tom
Wtien it comes to campus se
curity, Piedmont Community
College (PCC) has recently begun
implementing an array of up
dates and improvements.
According to PCC President
Dr. Walter C. Bartlett, security
has been a primary concern
among employees since he began
working at the college. After look
ing at what the college already
had in place, and determining
what aspects of security were a
problem, Bartlett said the school
developed several strategies for
improvement.
Bartlett commented that he
thought the presence of “true,
certified law enforcement” was
one of the primary needs. He
said the security officers the col
lege has employed have done a
“good job,” but that with PCC’s
increase in size and range of peo
ple on campus (including young
children at the Child Develop-
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The Person County Sheriff’s Department is assisting with security at Piedmont Community College.
GREY PENTECOST I COURIER-TIMES
State Board of Education Legislative Liaison Ann McColl speaks to Person County Schools educators
Thursday about bills passed during the 2011 legislative session.
PCS leaders reeeive summary of
legislation approved by lawmakers
BY GREY PENTECOST
COURIER-TIMES STAEE WRITER
gteypentecost@roxboto-couriet.tom
Person County Schools em
ployees heard Thursday a sum
mary of the many bills passed in
the 2011 legislative session that
directly impact public schools,
when State Board of Education
Legislative Liaison Ann McCoU
spoke during the PCS Summer
Leadership Conference.
Out of the 167 bills that the
state board tracked regarding
public education, said McColl,
45 of those were ratified by the
General Assembly, and two were
vetoed by the governor.
She told the educators pres
ent that it was important they be
aware of legislative matters not
only for “pragmatic” reasons,
but because “our communities
expect us to explain what’s hap
pening to public education.”
McColl addressed the charter
school legislation, in which the
cap was lifted. The bill, she said,
requires the state board to form
an advisory council. McColl said
SeeVmViWUti.Page W
And then
there were 10
4 incumbents, 6 challengers
file for 5 spots on eity eouncil
BYPHYLISS BOATWRIGHT
COURIER-TIMES STAEE WRITER
D-tourier.tom
The filing period to run for
Roxboro City Council and may
or ended yesterday at noon,
with one candidate filing for
mayor and 10 in the running
for the five spots on council.
Merilyn Newell, who has
served four terms on council
and is currently mayor pro-
tem, filed early on for the may-
oral position. She said she felt
capable of handling the chal
lenges and opportunities fac
ing the city and hoped to work
to bring jobs, regional alliances
and progress to the city.
Newell said she consulted
current mayor Samuel Spencer
about his plans before filing for
the position. Spencer, who was
serving his 16**’ term on coun
cil before being named mayor
last year, following the death
of Tom Brown, did not file for
reelection this year.
Those filing for reelection
to a seat on city council were
James Allen, currently serv
ing his IT*** term; Sandy Stigall,
now on his second term; Ralph
Clark, who was appointed to
council after Spencer stepped
up to mayor; and Henry Daniel,
who is on his fourth term.
Allen said Friday, that, if re
elected, he would “give it [his]
best.” He added that he felt
“experience does help to make
decisions” that benefit all citi
zens.
He said, during his long ten
ure on council, he had always
tried to “wait and see what the
public wants” before making a
decision, and would continue
to do so if reelected in October.
Ralph Clark served as Rox-
boro’s city manager from 1996
to 1999. He served as manager
in Kinston until 2007. Current
ly, Clark serves as director of
management services for a pro
fessional electrical engineering
company in Raleigh.
He has also served as man
ager in Clayton, Elizabeth City,
Washington and Smithfield af
ter beginning his career in his
hometown of South Boston,
Va.
Clark holds a degree in busi
ness administration from Aver-
ett University and a certificate
in public administration from
Danville Community College.
He said Friday that he was
Vifx’ ELECTION, Page 12
Person County Group Homes prepping to
open The Gardens at Chub Lake
BY PHYLISS BOATWRIGHT
COURIER-TIMES STAEE WRITER
pbootwriglit@roxboto-tourie[.com
Person County Group Homes
Inc. is just weeks away from com
pleting The Gardens at Chub
Lake, the largest project in its
history.
The 10-apartment complex
carries a price tag of $1.3 million,
paid for with a no-interest loan
from the N.C. Housing Finance
Agency’s N.C. Housing Finance
Initiative 400 Supportive Hous
ing Development Loan Program.
The complex will serve dis
abled, low-income persons. In
addition to having a documented
disability, adults applying for
an apartment must also be over
age 65, receiving Supplemental
Security Income, (SSI) Social Se
curity Disability Income, (SSDI)
or Veteran’s Benefits. Section 8
vouchers will also be considered.
All referrals for potential resi
dents must be sent to the state
Department of Health and Hu
man Services from an approved
referral agency. Person County
Group Homes Inc. (PCGH) is an
approved referral agency.
Disabilities included in the
“Key Funding” eligibility are
developmental disabilities, trau
matic brain injury, mental health
diagnosis and physical disabili
ties.
Rent on the units is based on
30 percent of an individual’s in
come. All utilities are included,
except for telephone and cable
TV service.
The nine resident apartments
are each 590 square feet, with a
kitchen, dining or living area,
bedroom and bath. Five of the
units have wheelchair-accessible
showers and cut-away cabinets
for wheelchair access. The 10*
apartment in the complex will
house an on-site manager.
John Noland, who is oversee
ing the project for PCGH, said
construction began in January
and was scheduled for comple
tion in March of 2012. General
contractor for the project, E.D.
Parker Corp., based in Benson,
expects work to be completed in
August, however.
Jerry Hayes, superintendent
for E.D. Parker, said working with
“top shelf” local subcontractors,
such as Regan and Sons Heating
and Air, had helped him complete
the project ahead of time.
In addition to the 10 apart
ments, the complex features a
Vi^eGARDENS, Page 12
PHYLISS BOATWRIGHT I COURIER-TIMES
John Noland, who is overseeing The Gardens at Chub Lake apart
ment building project for Person County Group Homes, Inc., talks
with Jerry Hayes, superintendent for E.D. Parker Corp., the general
contractor, as work on the $1.3 million endeavor winds down.