A10 THE COURIER-TIMES IROXBORO, NC
',DEC. 3,2011
COMMISSION: Community Conversations event held
FROM PAGE I
about the hiring practices of
[county] employees.” He cited
the county tax office and register
of deeds office as examples. Les
ter said there were no minority
employees in either office.
Lester went on to point out
that, according to the 2010 Cen
sus, Person County’s African
American population is 27 per
cent. He encouraged county gov
ernment to “reach out” to its mi
nority population.
York said Friday she is “plan
ning a meeting with the leader
ship of the NAACP regarding
the county’s hiring practices.”
According to current employ
ee records, the total minority
representation in county gov
ernment is 24.8 percent.
County employee Gladys Ler-
chbacher addressed commis
sioners concerning employee
compensation. Lerchbacher told
commissioners county employ
ees had not received a pay raise
since 2008. She added that coun
ty employees have taken “a lot of
hits” in recent years.
Commission Chairman Jim
my Clayton pointed out that
commissioners would be meet
ing Monday at 5:30 p.m. to dis
cuss employee compensation.
Faye Boyd discussed a pos
sible economic development
director position and employee
compensation with commission
ers Monday and said she “had
heard more sense” out of them
that night than previously.
Clayton told Boyd that serv
ing as a commissioner was some
what like serving on the board
of directors for a large company.
He added that commissioners
would be looking further at em
ployee compensation Monday.
“We will hit it pretty hard
next Monday,” Commissioner
Frances Blalock said.
Commissioner Ray Jeffers
added that he has “always been a
strong supporter of employees.
“We have to do something for
our employees if we want to keep
good employees in the county,”
Jeffers added.
Lewis Bordeau, Susan Naylor
and George Naylor all addressed
commissioners concerning a
county recreation/senior center,
which the majority of voters fa
vored in 2008.
Commissioner Sam Kenning-
ton said he supported a “part
nership” to make the rec/senior
center a reality.
Kennington added that he
“wanted to do something for se
niors and youth,” but noted the
SBI: Former deputy arrested
on pair of drug-related charges
FROM PAGE 1
information on the investigation
and were informed that charges
would be brought forth against
[Wheeler], he was terminated
Tuesday.”
Jones said the drug charges
and the termination of Wheeler
were “unfortunate.” However,
the sheriff added that law en
forcement officers are “held to a
higher standard.”
Jones did note that Wheeler
cooperated with the SBI during
the investigation.
The incidents that led to
Wheeler’s arrest reportedly took
place in August.
According to arrest warrants
filed this week at the Person
County Courthouse by the SBI,
Wheeler fraudulently obtained
UNDERCOVER: Deputies
make another arrest on heels
of recent drug investigation
FROM PAGE 1
maintaining a vehicle for a con
trolled substance and being a ha
bitual felon, and a misdemeanor
charge of possession of drug
paraphernalia.
The incidents that led to the
charges against Lunsford report
edly took place on Aug. 16.
Lunsford was jailed under a
$100,000 secured bond. He is slat-
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nual operating costs were con
cerns.
Clayton said he did not think
anybody on the board of com
missioners was against the pro
posed center and Commission
Vice Chairman Kyle Puryear
said it is “vital to have a senior
center.” He went on to say that
he was “open to partnerships.”
Jeffers added that he was an
“advocate for services” and has
been working on possible part
nerships to make the rec/senior
center a reality.
Margaret McMann quizzed
commissioners on what their
plans were for economic devel
opment.
“What are your plans for eco
nomic development — not just
funding — what is being done
to show more consensus?” Me-
MOVE: Rec department relocates
to new site at Sansbury complex
FROM PAGE 1
40 tablets of Oxycodone from
Rite Aid Pharmacy at 304 N.
Madison Blvd. on Aug. 28.
According to the arrest war
rant, Wheeler had obtained a
15-day supply (60 tablets) of Rox-
icet from Dr. Steve Thomas Kirk
on Aug. 23. He is alleged to have
withheld that information from
Dr. Danny Phillips in order to
obtain a prescription for Oxy
codone.
Oxycodone and Roxicet are
both controlled substances in
cluded in Schedule II of the
North Carolina Controlled Sub
stances Act.
Wheeler turned himself in to
SBI agents Wednesday and was
released under a $50,000 unse
cured bond, pending a Jan. 10
appearance in Person County
District Court.
and doing things differently,”
said Hill.
The Annex building provides
the same number of offices as
did the gym, but bigger.
Hill said the new offices are
more inviting to the public.
“It’s like Recreation, Arts and
Parks got a face lift,” he said.
Hill emphasized that the move
has not hindered any recre
ational programming currently
taking place, such as the fitness
classes held in the Annex build
ing. Hill believes having classes
UNEMPLOYMENT: Jobless
rate drops for 3rd straight month
FROM PAGE 1
ed to appear in district court on
Dec. 12.
Person County Sheriff Dewey
Jones said the undercover opera
tion was successful thanks to the
work of his officers, along with
aid from local, state and federal
authorities.
He also praised the efforts of
the district attorney’s office and
District Attorney Wallace Brad-
sher.
the counties, there are counties
with rates that are higher than
10 percent.
“We continue to work with
our workforce partners in assist
ing our customers in job search
assistance in our DES offices
and JobLink Centers across the
state.”
In October, North Carolina
had 42 counties that were at or
below the state’s unadjusted un
employment rate of 9.7 percent.
The state’s unadjusted unem
ployment rate in September was
10 percent and 45 counties were
at or below that mark.
Person County’s total labor
force — the number of people
available for work — decreased
in October from 18,756 in Sep
tember to 18,549.
The number of unemployed
Personians decreased by 24 to
1,751. One month earlier, the
number of unemployed people
in the county declined by 85.
For the seventh consecutive
month, Currituck County had
the state’s lowest unemployment
rate in October at 5.4 percent,
which was up from 5.1 percent
in September and 4.5 percent in
August.
Also for the seventh consecu
tive month, Scotland County had
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So write your letters and send them in today. Deadline is
Monday, Dec. 5th.
Mann asked.
Tonya Wilson asked commis
sioners to implement guidelines
to follow when someone is re
moved from their home.
York said she is working on
“a request to publish a citizens’
guide through social services to
provide resources and guidelines
to assist citizens wanting to help
when someone is removed from
their home.”
Elton and Vanessa Yancey,
who have addressed commis
sioners in the past concerning
over-payment of property taxes,
said Monday they were still at
tempting to receive reimburse
ment.
York said she was currently
working to facilitate a meeting
with the Yancey family and legal
counsel to help resolve the reim
bursement issue.
W'-
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and offices in the same building
is an added benefit, since cus
tomers coming into the offices
while a class is in session could
be exposed to other programs.
The centralized location of
the department will also in
crease security by making its
employees better able to moni
tor Huck Sansbury Park and the
surrounding area from their of
fices, said Hill.
He added since the Annex
building is in the center of the
complex, the employees have a
“360 degree view of the entire
complex.”
the state’s highest unemploy
ment rate in October at 16.6 per
cent, which was down from 17.3
percent in September and 17.6
percent in August.
The number of peopled em
ployed in the state (not season
ally adjusted) increased slightly
in October to 4,070,801.
The number of people unem
ployed statewide in October de
creased by 17,212. The number of
people unemployed in the state
in October was 436,615 compared
to 453,827 in September.
Forty-seven counties in the
state had unemployment rates
between 5.0 and 10 percent in Oc
tober, which was up from 42 in
that category in September and
29 in August.
Fifty-three counties in the
state had jobless rates higher
than 10 percent in October,
which was down from 58 in that
category in September and 70 in
August.
October unemployment rates
for area counties follow, with
their September rates shown
in parentheses: Alamance, 10.0
percent (10.7); Caswell 9.8 (10.5);
Durham 7.7 (8.2); Forsyth 8.9
(9.6); Franklin 9.7 (10.1); Gran
ville 9.8 (10.1); Guilford 10.0
(10.5); Orange 6.2 (6.8); Vance 13.4
(13.7) ; Wake 7.7 (8.2); Warren 13.2
(13.7) .
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‘Twas two weeks before Christmas
And all through the town,
Merchants were praying
^^With knees on the ground.
Roxboro was all loaded
“ with goodies galore,
All owners needed
Were shoppers in store.
/ The presents were perfect
All wrapped just the right way.
Giving reasons aplenty
In town just to stay.
Shopping is so easy
Parking’s no task.
I A long trip to Durham/Raleigh
Just uses your gas!
There’s dresses and rings
Gift certificate to eat.
There’s frames & baskets
And flowers for your sweet.
Our wish to our friends
That your Christmas be bright,^^^
That your presents be perfect ^
And our service just right!
That you visit each shop
' Spend wisely your money, H|
On serious items ^
Or gifts that are funny.
1 But this December
PLEASE remember ^
YOUR OWN,
Spread cheer here in Roxboro'
Just SHOP AT HOME!
(Written by T.J. Reid - 1980)
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