WEDNESDAY
December 14,2011
Roxboro,
North Carolina
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Our
129th year
Number 101
Three sections
22 pages
Copyright
20)1
The Courier-Times Inc.
I rights reserved
Sam Spencer awarded Order of the Long Leaf Pine
BY TIM CHANDLER
COURIER-TIMES EDITOR
tchan(ller@roxboto-coutlet.com
“We’ve been through some
good times and some bad times.
...We’ve had some good days and
some bad days, but I won’t com
plain.”
As his tenure as mayor of the
City of Roxboro drew to a close
Tuesday night, Sam Spencer
spoke those words to a group of
friends and family gathered at
the Roxboro Police Department
prior to a regularly scheduled
meeting of city council.
Spencer, who became mayor
late last year following the death
of Tom Brown, was earlier elected
to 14 consecutive two-year terms
on city council after first being
elected to the five-person board
in 1983. Spencer was also a career
educator in Person County.
As part of the reception Tues
day State Rep. WA. (Winkie)
Wilkins, D-Person, presented
Spencer with the Order of the
Long Leaf Pine award on behalf
of North Carolina Gov. Bev Per
due.
The Order of the Long Leaf
Pine, created in 1965, is among
the most prestigious awards pre
sented by the governor. It is pre
sented to individuals who have a
proven record of extraordinary
serve to the state. Contributions
to their communities, extra effort
in their careers and many years
of service to their organizations
are some of the guidelines by
which recipients are selected for
the award.
Wilkins said through the years
people had known Spencer as “a
teacher, a principal, a council
man, mayor and your friend.”
Spencer said he was “very hon
ored” to accept the award Tues
day. He said he would “express
his gratitude to the governor.”
Throughout his political ca
reer, Spencer said he had always
tried to stand up for what he
thought was right. “That way,”
he added, “you can reach a lot of
people.”
Spencer praised the employ
ees of the City of Roxboro, who
he said were the city’s “most im
portant resources,” and it was
important that council “not over
look that.
“Whatever is accomplished is
done hy those who are working
day in and day out, while we’re
resting,” Spencer added. “I have
always stood up for our employ
ees and cherish what they have
done.”
Spencer then turned towards
See SPENCER, Page 10
TIM CHANDLER I COURIER-TIMES
State Rep. W.A. (Winkie) Wilkins (right) awards the Order of the
Long Leaf Pine to Sam Spencer Tuesday evening.
Council awaits
bid from CHC
for Depot St.
property
BY IIM CHANDLER
COURIER-TIMES EDITOR
tchtintller@roxboto-tourler.com
Roxhoro City Council is await
ing a purchase offer from the
Christian Help Center (CHC) for
2,500 square feet of the city-owned
parking lot on Depot Street.
CHC officials have told City At
torney Nick Herman they would
like to expand their existing facil
ity on Depot Street by 1,000 square
feet.
In order to proceed with the ex
pansion, the CHC would need to
use part of the Depot Street park
ing lot beside its existing struc
ture.
According to Herman, the CHC
is requesting that the city donate
See CHC, Page 10
Lengthy drug
probe leads to
another arrest
BY IIM CHANDLER
COURIER-TIMES EDITOR
tchnntller@roxboro-toutler.com
Deputies with the Person
County Sheriff’s Office arrested
another suspect this week in con
nection with “Operation Peek-A-
Boo,” a five-month undercover in
vestigation that culminated this
fall.
Law enforcement officials ar
rested 42 persons in October.
Operation Peek-A-Boo, which
began in May and continued
through September, utilized vid
eo and audio equipment to help
document illegal drug activity.
The vast majority of those ar
rested in connection with the
investigation were placed under
secured bonds of $100,000 after
UNDERCOVER,/fageW
TIM CHANDLER I COURIER-TIMES
Roxboro City Council members, left to right, Will Davis (with his mother, Trisha Davis), Mark Phillips, Henry Daniel, Byrd Blackwell and
Sandy Stigall are administered their oath of office Tuesday night. In the photo below, Merilyn Newell (left), pictured with her mother,
Patsy Perkins, is administered the oath of office for mayor of the City of Roxboro by Chief District Court Judge Mark Galloway.
New council,
mayor begin
terms Tuesday
BY GREY PENTECOST
COURIER-TIMES STAFF WRITER
greypentecost@roxboro-coutler.com
Chief District Court Judge
Mark Galloway swore in a new
mayor and council for the City
of Roxboro Tuesday evening at
the beginning of the regularly
scheduled December council
meeting.
Mayor Merilyn Newell, who
was unopposed in her mayoral
bid in October, stepped up to
take the place of Sam Spencer,
who assumed the position last
year after the death of former
Mayor Tom Brown. Prior to
being named mayor, Spencer
served 14 consecutive terms on
council, beginning in 1983. He
did not seek reelection in Octo
ber.
The new council includes
incumbents Sandy Stigall and
Henry Daniel, newcomers Will
Davis and Byrd Blackwell, and
former councilman Mark Phil-
Seem'i.PagelO
BOE approves Career and College Promise program for PCS
BY GREY PENTECOST
COURIER-TIMES STAFF WRITER
gteypentetosf@roxboto-tourler.tom
The Person County Board
of Education approved Person
County Schools’ participation
in Career and College Promise,
a new program involving a part
nership between Person High
School and Piedmont Commu
nity College during a regularly
scheduled meeting Thursday
North Carolina Gov. Bev Per
due launched the program in
November, and stated in a press
release, “(Tareer & College Prom
ise will prepare eligible high
school students for life after high
school — that means college
credit for some, job training for
others. Regardless of whether a
student plans to go to college or
get a job. Career & College Prom
ise provides focused preparation,
tuition-free to the student.”
The program is similar to the
previously implemented Huskins
program, but is differentiated
primarily by the implementation
of separate pathways and state
mandated grade-point-average
(CPA) requirements.
The program will come into
effect in January, and will be
open to high school juniors and
seniors. It features 16 Career and
Technical Education (CTE) path
ways, including construction;
early childhood development and
services; law enforcement ser
vices; health care management
and support services; and pro
duction.
Courses to be offered to stu
dents starting in fall 2012 are
digital effects and animation
technology, and film and video
production, which fall under the
audio and video technology and
film pathway. Also to be offered
beginning fall 2012 is interna
tional business, a course being
See BOE, Page 10