The Daily Dispatch - Saturday, August 29, 2009 by The Daily Dispatch

CMYK Friday Night Football Ticker … Franklinton 19, N Vance 10 … S Granville 32, S Vance 6 … Person County 28, JF Webb 14 … ‘Eat Smart, Move More’ mini-grants

N.C. court restores felons’ gun rights

Bishop T.D. Jakes counsels patience

Our Hometown, Page 2A

Local & Region, Page 4A

Faith, Page 1C SATURDAY, August 29, 2009

Volume XCV, No. 202

(252) 436-2700

www.hendersondispatch.com

50 cents

Official: Cause of fire suspicious Hoops court forum

Building not occupied when blaze started By DAVID IRVINE Daily Dispatch Writer

AFTON — An early morning fire destroyed a grocery store in southern Warren County on Friday. The fire at the Hautar Grocery began about 4:25 a.m., according to Warren County Emergency Services Director Chris Wright. The building is a total loss, Wright said. No one was in the building at the time. The store is located at 3305 U.S. Highway 401 South near the Franklin County line. Responding to the fire were the Afton-Elberon, Cokesbury, Warrenton Rural, Epsom, and Goldsand Volunteer Fire Departments. The building is owned by Laura Tyson and leased to a person she identified as Hautar. She was unsure of Hau-

Meeting called at troubled site on Belle Street By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer

port school districts in all 100 counties, from $3.9 million for Wake County to $14,052 to Hyde County. Perdue made the announcement at the annual meeting of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners in Hickory, where members gave her a rousing applause. The decision is another among others that shows Perdue “is committed to working with counties and really trying to form a partnership with counties,” association spokes-

OXFORD — A meeting is set for 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the basketball court off Belle Street. City Commission Recreation Committee Chairman Steve Powell said he wants to explain the dilemma at the hoops site. Powell additionally Powell said he wants to provide an open forum and to begin a galvanizing process to help ensure more accountability Wolford for the court. The meeting was set by Powell at a Friday morning session of the committee. The court has been a subject of concern because of disorders and loitering by illegal drug dealers. At the start of the session, Powell turned to Police Chief John Wolford, who said that, while the Police Department has had “periodic” issues hinging on illegal activities, the majority of those at the court are there to play basketball. “I don’t think, frankly, it’s in our best interest to close that basketball court down as we are regularly

Please see COUNTIES, page 4A

Please see HOOPS, page 3A

Daily Dispatch/EARL KING

Officials are investigating the cause of the fire Friday morning that desroyed this store at Afton in southern Warren County. No one was in the building at the time of the fire. tar’s first name, but people call him David, Tyson said. The Daily Dispatch was unsuccessful in locating the person leasing the property

to obtain a statement. Tyson told the Dispatch that she had recently made improvements to the property. The building was in-

sured, but “for very little,” she added, not enough to cover the loss. Wright indicated that the cause of the fire was

suspicious and is under investigation. Contact the writer at dirvine@ hendersondispatch.com.

Boy missing in rough Counties to get lottery surf caused by Danny money for construction By KEVIN MAURER Associated Press Writer

CAROLINA BEACH — People on the East Coast warily eyed the approaching Tropical Storm Danny, which reinforced the dangers of even a weakening storm after a young boy went missing Friday in rough surf. From the Carolinas to New England, forecasters called for a second consecutive weekend of choppy seas, dangerous rip currents and heavy rains as Danny was expected to pass to the east of the mainland today. Storm-agitated waters were already proving dangerous Friday along North Carolina’s Outer Banks, where the Coast Guard and local authorities spent hours searching for a 12-year-old boy who disappeared while bodyboarding. The boy’s mother reported seeing him go

underwater off the town of Corolla and the board washing ashore without him. Coast Guard spokesman Lt. j.g. Scott Hembrook said the waves in the area weren’t that high, only about 4 to 6 feet tall. “What the storm is doing is creating a particularly strong undertow” that can pull swimmers to the bottom, he said. Undertow is created as water that’s crashed onshore rushes back out to sea. Farther north, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation announced that it will close beaches in five communities today until further notice. The agency also canceled all public ferry service in and around Boston for today, citing potential high seas, strong currents and heavy rain. State authorities urged boaters to have their

By GARY D. ROBERTSON Associated Press Writer

RALEIGH — Gov. Beverly Perdue said Friday that county governments would receive nearly $38 million in lottery funds earmarked for school construction that she held back six months ago to manage the state’s budget woes. The money, generated from profits by the North Carolina Education Lottery, had been intercepted by Perdue along with several hundred million dollars from other dedicat-

ed pots of public funds to ensure she could pay state expenses. Perdue ended up having to close a $3.2 billion shortfall for the year ending June 30. “I had to turn over every stone to pay North Carolina’s bills — to pay teachers, to keep schools and other core services running,” Perdue said in a statement. Now that the books are closed on last fiscal year, Perdue said there was money left over so she could release the $37.6 million in construction funds next week to sup-

Please see MISSING, page 3A

Weather

Index

Today

Our Hometown . . . . . 2A Business & Farm. . . . 5A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . 6A Light Side . . . . . . . . . 7A Sports. . . . . . . . . . 1-5B Faith. . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5C Comics . . . . . . . . . . . 6C Classifieds. . . . . . . 7-9C

Deaths

T-Storm High: 90 Low: 65

Sunday Some sun

Henderson Robert A. Newsome Sr., 30

Obituaries, 4A

Good news! The Daily Dispatch is printed on recycled paper.

High: 89 Low: 65

Details, 3A

California nightmare

AP Photo/Jason Redmond

A helicopter make a water drop Friday as firefighters battle the Station wildfire burning in the Angeles National Forest northeast of downtown Los Angeles. The Los Angles Sheriff’s Department says a voluntary evacuation is being urged for nearly 900 homes in the La Canada Flintridge area.

The Daily Dispatch

Mark It Down Today Back to School Bash — Crossroads Christian School’s Back to School Bash will be held from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Bring your family and friends. There will be many fun activities, games, food and fellowship. Warren County Farmers’ Market — The Warren County Farmer’s Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon at the corner of Market and Main streets in historic downtown Warrenton. All produce is locally grown by the vendors. For more information or to receive a vendor application, contact the Warren County Extension Center at 257-3640. Vance County Farmers’ market — The Vance County Farmers’ Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon. The market is located at the intersection of Williams and Arch streets in downtown Henderson. Vendors interested in selling at the market should contact Wayne Rowland at 438-8188. Oxford Farmers’ Market — The Oxford Farmers’ Market, located on the corner of McClanahan and Lanier streets across from the police station in Oxford, is open from 7 a.m. to noon.

Monday Community watch — There will be a meeting of the Ruin Creek Community Watch at 7 p.m. at West Hills Presbyterian Church on Ruin Creek Road. Officer Angela Feingold will present the program.

Tuesday Black Caucus — The Henderson-Vance Black Caucus will hold a called meeting on election planning and action matters at 6 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, 326 W. Rockspring Street. Members are urged to attend. Parenting class — “Parenting Matters,” an eight-week parenting class for parents of any age child, will have its first meeting from 10 a.m. to noon at the Vance County Extension Center, 305 Young St. The teacher will be Anne Williams with Five County Mental Health. There is no charge to attend. For more information, call Williams at 430-3077 or Mary Helen Jones at 438-8188. Nutrition class — “Families Eating Smart and Moving More,” an eight-week series targeting families with children, will meet from noon to 1 p.m. at the Vance County Extension Center, 305 Young St. Extension nutrition assistant Arnetta Wilson will be the instructor. The class focuses on planning healthy meals, shopping carefully, family meal time, and moving for health. There is no charge. The class will also be held tomorrow at the same time and place. Call 438-8188 for more information. Kiwanis Club — The Kiwanis Club of Henderson meets at 6:30 p.m. at the Dabney Drive Restaurant on West Andrews Avenue. Gary Morgan, executive director of Gateway Development Corporation, will speak on the present vision of Henderson and the role Gateway Development Corporation will play in the future of Henderson and Vance County. Interested non-members may call Opie Frazier for reservations or membership information at 430-1111. Painting event — Art du Jour, 209 E. Nash St., Louisburg, will sponsor a “paint in” from 6-9 p.m. All area artists are welcome to join in the fun and camaraderie with fellow artists. Suggested donation fee is $5. For more information, please call Art du Jour at (919) 496-1650.

Wednesday Clean-Up Henderson — The Clean-Up Henderson Committee meets at 8 a.m. at the City Operations Center, 900 S. Beckford Drive. The public is invited to attend. Lake Gaston Association — The monthly meeting of the Lake Gaston Association will be held at 9:30 a.m. at the Lake Gaston Baptist Church on Rte. 903, one mile north of Eaton Ferry Bridge, near Littleton. Rep. Michael Wray will be the guest speaker. The meeting is open to members and nonmembers. For further information, call (252) 586-6577, or toll free 1-888-586-6577. Wednesday Farmer’s market — The Wednesday Farmer’s Market, located near the track behind the Henderson Family YMCA, 380 Ruin Creek Road, is open from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. selling local produce. The market is sponsored by the YMCA, the Vance County Cooperative Extension Service and Maria Parham Medical Center. Venders interested in selling at the market should contact Wayne Rowland at 438-8188. Oxford Farmers’ Market — The Oxford Farmers’ Market, located on the corner of McClanahan and Lanier streets across from the police station in Oxford, is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Redevelopment Commission — The City of Henderson’s Redevelopment Commission will meet at 10 a.m. in the City Council Chambers of City Hall, 134 Rose Ave.

Guidelines The Daily Dispatch staff asks that items intended for inclusion in the calendar be submitted in writing at least five days in advance of the event. Please include a contact person’s name and phone number in case there are questions. Items for this listing can be e-mailed to communitynews@hendersondispatch.com.

Our Hometown

Saturday, August 29, 2009

‘Eat Smart Move More’ mini-grants available Looking for ways to encourage people in your organization or your clients to get fit? Need a little money to help? Now is your chance to receive up to $1,500 to start or expand a wellness effort. Vance-Granville WoW! (Working on Wellness!) and the Vance and Granville county commissioners have announced an “Eat Mary Helen Smart, Jones Move More” Cooperative miniExtension grant program for 2009-2010. These grants, based on availability of funds, will be awarded to community partners to address the goals and objectives of “Eat Smart, Move More: North Carolina’s Plan to Prevent Overweight, Obesity and Related Chronic Diseases.” This program is a repeat of last year’s successful program that funded 11 organizations in the two counties.

According to Jackie Sergent, health promotion coordinator with the Granville-Vance District Health Department, grants will be given to approximately 10 community partners (five per county) for a maximum amount of $1,500 each. The estimated start date is Nov. 2 with the grant period ending on April 30, 2010.

Grant requirements Mini-grant recipients are asked to develop sustainable policy and environmental changes that will help county residents become more physically active and make healthier food choices. Any county organization (such as schools, businesses, governmental agencies, churches or nonprofits) that has the ability to impact at least 100 people with its activities, can sustain the implemented policy or environmental change, and will report on the outcome of their efforts is eligible to apply.

Application process An information session will be held in each county for those interested in

learning more about the mini-grant requirements and obtaining an application packet. The Granville County information session will be on Sept. 21 at 4 p.m. in the Granville County Commissioners’ meeting room at 145 Williamsboro St., Oxford. The Vance County session will be on Sept. 24 at 4 p.m. at the H. Leslie Perry Memorial Library, 205 Breckenridge St., Henderson. The deadline for receiving completed applications is Oct. 14 at 5 p.m., and notification of awards should be by Nov. 2. The Granville-Vance District Health Department and Vance-Granville WoW! will administer the grant funds. Questions should be addressed to Jackie Sergent, GranvilleVance District Health Department, at (919) 6932141 or 492-7915.

County award program To further support the program in our counties, both Granville and Vance County commissioners have instituted an annual “Eat Smart Move More”

‘Aging with Gusto’ workshop set for Sept. 15 at Oxford Baptist Church The Vance County Senior Center is coordinating plans to take a group to Granville County on Sept. 15 (please note corrected date) to attend the “Aging With Gusto (Getting Older … and Better)” workshop at the Oxford Baptist Church. This workshop is sponsored by the N. C. Cooperative Extension, Granville County Center and Granville County Senior Services. Some of the topics include “T’ai Chi (Go With

the Flow),” “Jump Start a Healthy Lifestyle with Seated Exercise,” “Introduction to Cook Smart, Eat Smart,” “Managing Your Finances (Organize to Win),” and “Long Term Care Planning.” The cost of the trip is $10 for registration, including lunch, and is due to the senior center by Sept. 4. Special entertainment will be provided by the Durham Divas n’ Dude during the mealtime.

Tips

The bus will depart at 8 a.m. from several senior apartment complexes and from the senior center at 8:30 a.m. The group will return at approximately 2 p.m. Those who meet the bus at the senior center should park in the public parking lot on Chestnut Street. Anyone interested in attending the workshop should contact the senior center at 430-0257 by Sept. 4 to meet the registration deadline.

Vance County Parenting Task Force

from the

Award Program. Three awards were given by each board of commissioners in July to recognize organizations that have implemented sustainable changes that make it easier for residents to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Granville County awardees were the Oxford Parks and Recreation Department, R.J. Blackley Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center, and Christian Faith Center. Vance County awardees were Western Vance High School, Community Workforce Solutions, and Zeb-Vance Elementary School. While 2008-09 minigrant recipients were this year’s winners, any organization (whether funded or not) is eligible to submit a description in May 2010 of their wellness activities in order to be recognized. The cooperative extension centers in Granville and Vance counties partner with the GranvilleVance District Health Department to promote eating smart and moving more. Anyone interested in being part of the effort can call Joan Reid at (919) 603-1350 or Mary Helen Jones at 438-8188.

Marketplace Cinema

Marketplace Shopping Center

438-9060

HALLOWEEN 2 (r)

FrI: 5:15, 7:20 & 9:25PM SAT: 1:05, 3:10, 5:15, 7: 20 & 9:25PM SUn: 1:05, 3:10, 5:15 & 7:20PM MOn-THUr: 5:15 & 7:20PM

FINAL DESTINATION (r) FrI: 5:05, 7:05 & 9:05PM SAT: 1:05, 3:05, 5:05, 7:05 & 9:05PM SUn: 1:05, 3:05, 5:05 & 7:05PM MOn-THUr: 5:05 & 7:05PM

JULIEFrI:& JULIA 7:00 & 9:25PM

(PG13)

SAT: 1:00, 3:25, 7:00 & 9:25PM SUn: 1:00, 3:25 & 7:00PM MOn-THUr: 5:00 & 7:25PM

SHORT’S

(PG) FrI: 5:00 & 7:00PM SAT: 1:00, 3:00, 5:00 & 7:00PM SUn: 1:00, 3:00 & 5:00PM MOn-THUr: 5:00PM

BANDSLAM DAILY: 5:10PM

(PG)

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS FrI: 6:45 & 9:30PM

(r)

SAT: 12:45, 3:30, 6:45 & 9:30PM SUn: 12:45, 3:30 & 6:45PM MOn-THUr: 7:00PM

TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE (PG13) FrI & SAT: 9:00PM SUn-THUr: 7:00PM

Read with toddlers and preschoolers! It is never too early or late to read with your children. If possible, start reading to them as babies. Even

if they don’t understand the words, they are absorbing the sounds. Toddlers have a short attention span and may not want to sit still to read. Let them move around as you continue to read to them. Preschool-

ers will often look at the pictures and make up their own story. Let them do this without correction — it encourages creativity.

GI JOE: RISE OF THE COBRA (PG13) FrI: 7:20 & 9:30PM

By Jeriann Thacker, H. Leslie Perry Memorial Library

MOn-FrI 8/31-9/4/09 @ 5:00PM SAT & SUn: 9/5-9/6/09 @ 1:00PM

SAT: 12:50, 3:00, 7:20 & 9:30PM SUn: 12:50, 3:00 & 7:20PM MOn-THUr: 7:20PM

CritiC’s ChoiCe StartS monday auguSt 31St GOODBYE SOLO (nr)

www.marketplacecinemas.com

SATURDAY NIGHT AUCTION AUGUST 29th @ 6:00pm

Henderson Auction GAllery 117 Horner St., Henderson, NC 27536

Liquidating 3 Huge Estates-We Are Packed!

ANTIQUES-COLLECTIBLES-FURNITURE-BEDROOM SETS DINING TABLES-CHINA HUTCHES-CHAIR SETS-APPLIANCES-TOOLS JEWELRY - BEST BOX LOTS! INFO & RESERVE SEAT (252) 738-2427 • www.auctionzip.com “CALL US TO LIQUIDATE LIVING OR DECEASED ESTATES ON SITE & GALLERY AUCTIONS AVAILABLE” 10% Buyer’s Premium cash or good check 13% Buyer’s Premium MC & Visa Auctioneer, Steve Brigandi, NCAL 8559

CROSSROADS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL’S

BACK TO SCHOOL

BASH!

Food, Fun & Games Saturday, August 29th 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM Cake Walk • Inflatable Slide Home Run Derby • Chick-fil-A Pie in the Face • Funnel Cakes Hot Shots Basketball Cotton Candy • Hot Dogs Onion Rings • Donuts • Pizza Fun & Games • Fellowship Lots More!

Bring Your Family & Friends 583 Old County Home Rd Henderson For more information go to www.ccscolts.org

Advantage Ministries

Advantage Ministries will be sponsoring Kid Advantage After school Program which will begin Monday, 8/31/09. The hours are from 3pm 6pm.The cost is $25.00 a week per child which includes transportation and a snack. If interested please come to 103 Wortham Court, Henderson and fill out an application. There are only 20 slots available so act fast.

Eastside Baptist Church CAMP MEETING August 31st-Sept.2nd 1017 Eastern Blvd‚ Henderson, NC

Pastor Joe Arthur From Georgia Will Be The Guest Speaker Service Times: Monday-Wednesday–7:30 PM Special Singing by the Church Groups The Pastor Aubrey Florence

Invites You To Come and Bring a Friend.

From Page One

The Daily Dispatch

NATIONAL WEATHER

MISSING, from page one

Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day. Seattle 72/56

Billings 84/55

San Francisco 74/57

Minneapolis 66/46 New York 76/69

Chicago Detroit 69/49 71/52 Kansas City 78/51

Denver 82/52

Washington DANNY 87/70

Los Angeles 99/66

Atlanta 86/67

El Paso 94/68

Fairbanks 63/45

Houston 95/74

Anchorage 65/52

-10s

-0s

Honolulu 89/76

Juneau 59/51

10s

20s

Miami 91/79

Hilo 85/69

30s

40s

Showers Rain T-storms Snow Flurries

50s

60s

70s

Ice

80s

90s

100s

110s

Stationary front

Cold front

Warm front

FIVE-DAY FORECAST FOR HENDERSON TODAY

TONIGHT

SUNDAY

89°

65°

90°

65°

A thunderstorm in the area

Partly cloudy and humid

Clouds and sun with a t-storm

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

74° 62° Cloudy, rain possible; cooler

75°

83°

63°

Rain and drizzle possible Partly sunny, humid and warmer

ALMANAC

SUN AND MOON

Temperature

Sunrise today ........................... 6:43 a.m. Sunset today ............................ 7:46 p.m. Moonrise today ........................ 4:16 p.m. Moonset today ....................... 12:56 a.m. Sunrise tomorrow ..................... 6:43 a.m. Sunset tomorrow ...................... 7:44 p.m. Moonrise tomorrow .................. 4:59 p.m. Moonset tomorrow ................... 1:51 a.m.

Raleigh-Durham through 6 p.m. yest. High .................................................... 90° Low ..................................................... 72° Normal high ........................................ 86° Normal low ......................................... 66° Record high .......................... 100° in 1948 Record low .............................. 52° in 1969

Moon Phases

Precipitation 24 hours through 6 p.m. yest. ......... 0.00” Month to date .................................. 1.13” Normal month to date ..................... 3.39” Year to date ................................... 22.46” Normal year to date ...................... 29.21”

Full

Last

New

First

Sep 4

Sep 11

Sep 18

Sep 26

REGIONAL WEATHER Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows

WinstonSalem

Asheville

Henderson

Greensboro

88/67

82/60

90/65

92/68

Durham

Raleigh

92/67

Charlotte

91/70

Cape Hatteras

Fayetteville

88/68

87/77

93/70

LAKE LEVELS

Wilmington

88/73

Elevation in feet above sea level. Data as of 7 a.m. yesterday. 24-Hr. Lake Capacity Yest. Change Gaston 203 199.86 +0.05 Kerr 320 296.36 -0.16

24-Hr. Capacity Yest. Change 240 213.52 -0.06 264 249.16 -0.06

Lake Jordan Neuse Falls

REGIONAL CITIES Today

Sun.

Today

Sun.

City

Hi Lo W Hi Lo W

City

Hi Lo W Hi Lo W

Asheville Boone Burlington Chapel Hill Chattanooga Danville Durham Elizabeth City Elizabethton Fayetteville Goldsboro Greensboro Greenville Havelock Hendersonville

82 76 89 92 85 90 92 90 83 93 90 88 88 88 83

High Point Jacksonville Kinston Lumberton Myrtle Beach Morehead City Nags Head New Bern Raleigh Richmond Roanoke Rapids Rocky Mount Sanford Wilmington Winston-Salem

89 88 92 90 90 88 89 88 91 90 92 92 92 88 88

60 57 66 67 64 65 67 71 58 70 71 66 67 73 58

t t pc pc t pc pc pc t pc pc pc pc c t

80 77 89 88 80 88 89 89 81 91 91 85 87 90 81

55 53 63 63 58 62 63 70 54 68 69 62 63 73 58

pc pc t t pc t t t s t t t t t pc

65 73 71 69 75 77 77 72 70 69 69 68 69 73 67

pc pc pc pc pc c pc pc pc t pc pc pc pc pc

87 90 92 92 88 85 87 91 90 88 90 90 91 90 84

64 71 70 69 72 74 75 71 64 64 67 69 67 73 61

Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice

t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t

now at 7 p.m.,” Wolford said. As for a solution to dealing with those who may not be there to use the court, Wolford said he believes there probably needs to be some kind of supervision. “Do I think it needs to be the police? I’m not so sure,” Wolford said. Powell has been emphasizing his belief in the need for adult oversight of the court. Wolford suggested possibilities such as having someone from the Recreation Department or an entity created for a supervisory role at the court. “Can we be there as police officers as often as some people would like? You know the answer to that,” Wolford said. Wolford noted the court is being closed with at least two hours of daylight left and when the weather

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State Of The Art, Technologically Advanced Equipment That Allows Us To Better Diagnose and Correct Your Pets Medical Issues.

West Hills Vet

The Daily Dispatch (USPS 239-940) is published Tuesday through Sunday mornings, except Dec. 25, by Henderson Newspapers Inc. Periodicals postage paid at Henderson, North Carolina, 27536. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Daily Dispatch, P.O. Box 908, Henderson, N.C., 27536

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appeared to be drugs on the ground in the area of the court, along with approximately 15-20 empty plastic bag corners used to sell drugs and spread around the court. “Do I like the problems that occur? No. Sometimes, do we react pretty strongly? Absolutely,” Wolford told the committee on Friday morning. “If we have people that are just acting like complete fools, then we shut it down,” Wolford said. Wolford noted the court gate was locked for the rest of the day after the last incident and sometimes has remained locked for as long as two days. “But, in the long run,

it’s a basketball court,” Wolford said. “I think that’s what the board originally intended it to be and we’ve got to keep it from being something else. I just hope you guys have some ideas on how to do that, but that’s my opinion,” Wolford said. Powell later in the meeting said there will be a brainstorming session in which handpicked persons and anyone else who wants to bring something to table will figure out ways to engage those ages 13 and above. A time, date and location have not been set.

Associated Press writer Emery P. Dalesio in Raleigh contributed to this story.

ay yd r e Ev

Contact the writer at bwest@ hendersondispatch.com.

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Account Executive

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for the academic year on Tuesday, so fewer families were planning beach vacations. “We should see an uptick in business as the storm goes by,” McGinnity said. “If they close the beaches, I won’t rent out surfboards because I don’t want to put people in danger.”

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body’s canceled,” said Raborn, 40. The National Weather Service warned there could be swells as high as 7 feet offshore as the storm passed the area. As he wheeled out bikes and surfboards at Pleasure Island Rentals on Carolina Beach, Craig McGinnity said if anything the offshore storm could boost weekend traffic from people who enjoy the rough surf. Most North Carolina schools opened

158 By-Pass West Gwynn Lane Henderson, NC 27536 (252) 438-7163

Est. Aug. 12, 1914 304 S. Chestnut St. P.O. Box 908 Henderson, N.C. 27536

How to reach us

is cooler. “I mean, let’s get logical,” Wolford said. The court was opened in August 2006, but the court became a subject of much concern among city officials in May 2008 after a report of gunfire. A Granville Countywide gang prevention partnership was formed in the aftermath of a March 10 clash at the court that swelled into a larger crowd on the southeast side of Oxford. And Wolford has said that, on July 22, officers responded to a report regarding a disturbance at the court and found approximately 80-100 people in the area. Wolford has said although there was no disorder by the time officers arrived, witnesses told of a fight between alleged gang members. Officers found what

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winds of near 40 mph. Small craft advisories were posted along the South Carolina coast. On the Outer Banks island of Ocracoke, Anchorage Marina dock master Robert Raborn said the warnings of rough seas prompted the usual stream of weekend boaters crossing the Pamlico Sound to cancel reservations for overnight docking space. “Pretty much every-

West Hills Veterinary Centre

per month The Daily Dispatch

VIII VII VI

A surfer is seen riding the waves Friday in Hither Hills State Park in Montauk, N.Y. Officials on eastern Long Island are making emergency preparations for Tropical Storm Danny, even though it’s expected to weakened considerably before reaching the waters off the New England coast this weekend.

ay yd

AP Photo/Robert Mecea

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vessels securely moored by Friday night. Some coastal residents were looking forward to Danny’s effects. In this community 40 miles north of the South Carolina line, surf instructor Dave Houck said the building waves promised to be a weekend treat. He said he usually cancels classes when a tropical storm approaches, but he was on the strand Friday to coach some longtime students. “This is what surfers love as far as the East Coast is concerned,” said Houck, 33, of nearby Wilmington. “We don’t want the mess. We just want the swells when the storm stays off shore.” On Friday night, the storm was centered about 300 miles south of Cape Hatteras and moving north near 8 mph. Forecasters expected the storm to increase its speed through the water and turn toward the north-northeast, passing offshore of the Carolinas early today and offshore of New England later that evening. A tropical storm watch for the North Carolina coast was in effect Friday as Danny maintained top

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Home movies offer new look at Smokies park By JOE EDWARDS Associated Press Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Amateur moviemakers who captured a family vacation or memorable event have provided a fresh look at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as it celebrates its 75th anniversary. Home movies provide all the footage in a new film, “Vintage Views of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park: 19201970.” The park is being rededicated next week, and the movie will debut shortly afterward. The film is an 80-minute montage of mostly 16 mm clips gathered from the home movies of residents of the Smokies and the Gatlinburg area. It’s all there: The scenic views, the family hikes, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s park dedication, the mountain accents and the tantalizing taffy shops that developed in Gatlinburg as the Smokies became the nation’s most visited national park. “Hollywood couldn’t be there every day, but the history was captured by mom and pop taking their kids to the mountains, or people just interested in the mountains,” said Bradley Reeves, a co-producer

AP Photo/Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound

In this photo provided by the Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound, amateur filmmaker George Dominick films in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the 1940s. Amateur moviemakers who captured a family vacation or memorable event have provided a fresh historical look at the park as it celebrates its 75th anniversary and is rededicated Sept. 2. Home movies are used exclusively in a new film, “Vintage Views of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park: 1920-1970.” Sound (TAMIS), which of the movie. produced the project. It “It’s a unique piece as will debut in Gatlinburg told through the lens of on Sept. 12, and the DVD the amateur filmmaker,” eventually is expected to Reeves said. “We’ve been be available to the public lucky to have access to for around $20. this.” “This really takes you The film has light narration and both black and back into an era long gone, a way of life and a culwhite and color images with old-time string music ture,” Reeves said. Presented mostly chronin the background. It docuologically, the film traces ments the changes in the hiking clubs in the 1920s, Smokies over the 50-year road construction in the span. “It’s a window into a dif- mountains, the Smokies characters and the develferent time,” said Reeves, opment of Gatlinburg. co-director of the Knox“It’s pure Americana,” ville-based Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Reeves said.

Eleanor Roosevelt’s visit in 1937 is captured along with her husband’s famous visit in 1940. “Once you clean it up and digitize it, the film looks great,” Reeves said. “The images are crisp and clear. I don’t think there’s any other project like this.” Reeves and his co-producer, Louisa Trott, chose 25 to 50 individual home movies for the film out of several hundred reels. The source film was easy to locate. “I’d imagine 90 percent of the home footage in East Tennessee has the Smokies in it,” Reeves said. “We are letting the footage speak for itself.” The project was financed by a fundraising event that brought in $2,000. The home movies, collected mostly through word-of-mouth, have been donated to the nonprofit TAMIS to be preserved for future generations. A second screening of the film will be Sept. 19 in Knoxville. The national park, 520,000 acres straddling the Tennessee-North Carolina border with peaks that reach 6,643 feet, has around 9 million visitors a year, many of them from the Southeast.

COUNTIES, from page one county manager Jim Chrisman said. “The county’s really happy (now) because the state and the governor realized the initial intention of these (lottery) fund to begin with.” Perdue took criticism for seizing lottery funds and an additional $50 million from a lottery reserve fund because the General Assembly approved the lottery in 2005 with the understanding the money would go only to education programs.

man Todd McGee said. The delay had forced many counties to look elsewhere for construction funds. In Beaufort County, which is expected to receive $158,092, the holdback forced the county leaders to delay purchases on computer servers and other equipment so it could find money to pay down $33 million in school construction bonds. “We had to make some crucial cut to services in the county,” assistant

Perdue said during last year’s gubernatorial campaign that she wanted to take extra steps to ensure profits from the North Carolina Education Lottery were spent solely on education. The $50 million reserve has not been returned, Perdue spokeswoman David Kochman said, but lawmakers reimbursed the Public School Textbook Fund for another $50 million that Perdue decided to take in February when faced with state cash flow

N.C. Supreme Court restores felons’ gun rights RALEIGH (AP) — The North Carolina Supreme Court says a 2004 law that bars convicted felons from having a gun, even within their own home or business, is unconstitutional. The state’s high court ruled Friday in the case of Barney Britt of Wake

County that the General Assembly went too far five years ago when it toughened restrictions on felons owning guns as part of a broad anti-domesticviolence bill. Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson said in a dissenting opinion the

decision could encourage challenges against state bans on felons and the insane owning guns. Britt was convicted of felony drug possession in 1979. He completed his sentence in 1982, and his right to own a gun was restored five years later.

problems. Perdue also took money from the state’s “rainy day” reserve fund, which had nearly $800 million, to deal with this past year’s shortfall. Perdue’s budget troubles aren’t over. A $19 billion spending plan for this year was signed into law just three weeks ago. But her budget office already said it will hold back 5 percent of money allocated to state agencies because of uncertainty of the state’s economy.

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Deaths Robert A. Newsome Sr. HENDERSON — Robert Antoine Newsome Sr., 30, died Sunday, Aug. 23, 2009. He was born July 3, 1979, in Durham County and was the son of Donald Ray Fogg and Belinda Newsome. At a young age, he became a member of Shiloh Baptist Church in Kittrell. He was also educated in the Vance County school system and received his diploma from Southern Vance High School. He is survived by his mother, Belinda Newsome of the home; his father, Donald Ray Fogg of Butner; a sister, Brittany Auhkeya Newsome of the home; a brother, Leneronis Hockaday; and two sons, Robert Antoine Newsome Jr. and Dasira Twain Newsome. Funeral services will

be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Henderson Convention Center in Henderson. The Rev. C.J. Dale will be the eulogist, assisted by the Revs. Brenda Peace and Eugene Perry. Interment will be in the First Baptist Church Memorial Gardens in Kittrell. The repast will be at the home, 715 Highland Ave., Henderson. Floralbearers will be Ciara Williams, Joy Arrington, Vananessa Ayscue, Sonya Hall, Michelle Alston, Christie Hammond, Letitia Hammond, Beverly Schmitt, Necie Kearney and Pashia Williams. Pallbearers will be Chrishan Allen, Tony Mayo, Stanley Taylor, Chris Dunston, Lewis Hicks and Sherlock Magbie. The viewing will be today from noon until 6 p.m. at Garnes Funeral Home. Arrangements are by Garnes Funeral Home of Henderson.

Oxford police need help solving break-ins, thefts From STAFF REPORTS

OXFORD — Police need help solving break-ins and thefts that happened on Aug. 10 and on Monday at Steve’s Lawn & Garden, 625 Hillsboro St. southwest of the central business district. Anyone with any information is urged to

phone Granville County Crime Stoppers at (919) 693-3100. Crime Stoppers can offer up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for such actions. Send comments to the newspaper at news@hendersondispatch.com.

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Business & Farm

The Daily Dispatch

10,000

August 28, 2009

9,500 9,000

9,544.20

Fayetteville plant among those with contract expiring

8,500

-36.43 Pct. change from previous: -0.38%

High 9,630.20

8,000

Low 9,495.98

August 28, 2009

2,100

Nasdaq composite

2,000 1,900

By THOMAS J. SHEERAN Associated Press Writer

1,800 1,700

+1.04 2,028.77

1,600

CLEVELAND — National contract talks between the United 1,050 August 28, 2009 Steelworkers union and 1,000 Standard & Goodyear Tire & Rub950 Poor’s 500 ber Co. have reached an 900 -2.05 850 intense stage focused on M J J A 1,028.93 protecting jobs, keeping High 1,039.47 Pct. change from previous: -0.2% Low 1,023.13 plants open and addressSOURCE: SunGard AP ing health care costs, the MARKET ROUNDUP 082809: Market union said Friday. Currencies & etals charts show Dow,M S&P 500, and The Goodyear contract Nasdaq; stand-alone; 2c x 4 1/2 inches; with the Steelworkers is 96 mm x 114 mm; staff Aluminum -$0.8650 per lb., N.Y. Merc spot NEW YORK (AP) — Key currency exscheduled to expire at midEditors: 5:59:24 PM EST change rates Friday: All figures as of: Thu. Pct. change from previous: +0.05%

High 2,059.48

Low 2,017.42

close; Coppermay -$2.8855 Cathode full plate, U.S. NOTE: Figures reflect market fluctuations after not match other AP content

Dollar vs: Yen Euro Pound Swiss franc Canadian dollar Mexican peso

Metal NY Merc Gold NY HSBC Bank US NY Merc Silver

ExchgRate 93.60 $1.4287 $1.6269 1.0608 1.0931 13.2435

PvsDay 93.45 $1.4371 $1.6285 1.0575 1.0842 13.2255

Price $957.00 $957.50 $14.784

PvsDay $945.50 $947.50 $14.216

Nonferrous NEW YORK (AP) — Spot nonferrous metal prices Friday:

Listed below are representative inter-dealer quotations at approximately 4 p.m. Friday from the National Association of Securities Dealers. Prices do not include retail mark-up, mark-down or commission. ACS ATT Ball Corp. BankAmerica BB&T Coca-Cola CVS Duke Energy Exxon Ford General Elec. Motors Liquidation Home Depot IBM Johnson & Johnson

44.95 26.21 48.76 17.98 28.39 49.06 36.77 15.61 70.12 7.73 14.08 0.82 27.69 118.22 60.29

destinations. Copper $2.8455 N.Y. Merc spot Thu. Lead - $2008.00 metric ton, London Metal Exch. Zinc - $0.8490 per lb., delivered. Gold - $955.50 Handy & Harman (only daily quote). Gold - $945.50 troy oz., NY Merc spot Thu. Silver - $14.790 Handy & Harman (only daily quote). Silver - $14.216 troy oz., N.-. Merc spot Thu. Mercury - $640.00 per 76 lb flask, N.Y. Platinum -$1238.00 troy oz., N.Y. (contract). Platinum -$1240.50 troy oz., N.Y. Merc spot Thu. n.q.-not quoted, n.a.-not available r-revised

18.22 53.19 39.59 4.99 51.32 45.56 4.65 3.77 23.68 37.01 31.02 50.97 51.13 27.30 5.20 66.33

night Saturday for about 10,300 employees at seven plants, in Akron, Ohio; Buffalo, N.Y.; Danville, Va.; Fayetteville, N.C.; Gadsden, Ala.; Topeka, Kan., and Union City, Tenn. The talks have been under way in Cincinnati since June and the old three-year contract has been extended twice. There was no immediate word on a third extension, but the union told members in an online update that it expected a settlement by the deadline, or before. Ed Markey, a spokesman at the company headquarters in Akron,

said Goodyear was confident a settlement would be reached but offered no timetable. “Both sides remain fully engaged as negotiations continue,” he said in an email. “We remain optimistic that we will reach an agreement.” The company’s contract goals have been to improve productivity and flexibility. Wayne Ranick, a spokesman at union headquarters in Pittsburgh, said that the negotiations have reached an “intense” stage. He said that while affected locals have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike if neces-

sary, the company and union were mindful of the economy. Jack Hefner, president of an Akron union local representing about 300 Goodyear employees, said rank-and-file members understood the economic situation might make reaching a settlement difficult. “There are no winners in a strike,” Hefner said. John Russo, professor of labor studies at Youngstown State University, said the recession and Goodyear’s move to shift production to lower-cost countries put the union in a difficult position. “Management is in a very powerful position,” he said.

Ex-CEO accused in $200 million tax fraud

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A former CEO of a company that hired staff for medical facilities was charged Friday in federal court in a fraud and tax evasion scheme that prosecutors say caused shareholders to lose more than $200 Area Stocks million. Richard McDonald of Leechburg, Pa., was acKennametal 22.77 cused of diverting funds Krispy Kreme 3.11 Louisiana Pacific 7.48 from World Health AlterLowes 21.70 natives Inc. to his perLucent Tech. 3.76 sonal bank account while Pepsico 56.76 serving as president and Phillip Morris Procter & Gamble Progress Energy RF Micro Dev Royal Bk Can RJR Tobacco Revlon Sprint Sun Trust Universal Verizon Comm. Vulcan Wal-Mart Wells Fargo Wendy’s Establis Delhaize

Union, Goodyear talks ‘intense’

A DAY ON WALL STREET

Dow Jones industrials

Saturday, August 29, 2009

chief executive officer from 2003 to 2005, according to a 20-count indictment that was unsealed after a yearslong federal grand jury investigation. In addition, McDonald is accused of failing to pay some $2.3 million in payroll taxes withheld from employees’ salaries and evading personal income tax. “World Health Alternatives was yet another publicly traded corporation defrauded by its CEO,”

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U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan said in a statement released after the hearing. In the week in August 2005 when it became known the company’s finances were being investigated, World Health’s stock price plummeted from $3.55 per share to 49 cents. Buchanan estimated this cost shareholders to lose more than $200 million. Dressed in a gray T-shirt and jeans, McDonald, who could spend more than 30 years in prison if convicted,

made no comment in court except to acknowledge his understanding of the charges against him. He has not yet hired an attorney. McDonald will be arraigned on Sept. 4. He has been released on $100,000 bond. World Health filed for bankruptcy after the investigation was revealed. In April 2006, Alpharetta, Ga.-based Jackson Healthcare Solutions bought World Health for $43 million plus $10 million for liabilities.

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Opinion

The Daily Dispatch

XII I

II III

VIII VII VI

IV V

X IX

XII

Cash for Clunkers: The Sequels II III

VIII

VII

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Editorial Board: James Edwards, Publisher Glenn Craven, Editor

jedwards@hendersondispatch.com gcraven@hendersondispatch.com

Don Dulin, News Editor ddulin@hendersondispatch.com

304 S. Chestnut St./P.O. Box 908 Henderson, N.C. 27536 PHONE: 436-2700/FAX: 430-0125

Daily Meditation The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. Luke 11:34-35

Our Opinion

Sex predators merit greater observation When Jaycee Dugard — kidnapped at age 11, and now 29 years old — turned up this week at a parole agent’s office in California with her abductor, it illustrated the depravity of which some humans are capable, and the importance of investing heavily in law enforcement’s holding and monitoring of sex offenders. Dugard was dragged into a car by Phillip Garrido’s wife, Nancy, while walking to a school bus stop near her South Lake Tahoe home in 1991. Since then, she has lived in a fenced-in compound in the backyard of the Garrido home less than 200 miles away in a busy residential neighborhood of Antioch, Calif. Dugard is the mother of Garrido’s two daughters, ages 15 and 11. As the story behind the headlines emerges, we realize that none of it needed to happen, and once abducted, Jaycee Dugard could have been rescued much sooner. It was only possible for the Garridos to kidnap Jaycee Dugard in 1991 because Phillip Dugard served so little time for a sentence associated with a horrendous sex crime committed in 1977. Dugard in that case kidnapped a 25-year-old woman — also from South Lake Tahoe — imprisoning and raping her in a self-storage unit that he had outfitted as a sex den. He was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison for kidnapping and 5 years to life in California for his sex offenses, but he met his future wife and married her while in prison and then was out in less than 15 years, just in time to kidnap Dugard. The known sex offender’s wife is a dead-ringer for the 1991 police sketch created with the help of Dugard’s stepfather, Carl Probyn, who watched, horrified, as the woman drag his stepdaughter into a Ford sedan. Probyn then chased the car fruitlessly on his mountain bike until it got away. In the 18 years since the kidnapping, Garrido was subjected to surprise in-home visits and drug tests stemming from his 1977 crimes, but no officer apparently ever ventured into his backyard. Garrido was been sent back to jail for several months at one time for violating his parole, but no extensive search of the property resulted — a search that would have uncovered not only a young woman and two little girls living in tents, but an old Ford, still on the property, that matches the description of the vehicle used to kidnap Jaycee Dugard. And even in 2006, when a neighbor called police to say that little girls were living in tents in Garrido’s backyard, nobody went all the way behind the house to investigate. An officer, who was somehow unaware that Garrido was a registered sex offender, talked to the kidnapper on his front porch for 30 minutes, warned him that the tents might be a city code violation, and then left. It’s difficult, and in many ways unfair, to judge the authorities’ lack of success in locating and saving Jaycee Dugard. But this horrible case illustrates the need to place sex offenders near the top rung of the ladder — or bottom of the barrel might be a better term — when it comes to imprisoning offenders and monitoring them after their release. Sex offenders are among the most difficult, if not impossible, criminals to rehabilitate. As such, they should be among the offenders most likely to serve the bulk of their sentences, not among the ones likely to get out of prison early. And, once they’re on the streets, law enforcement must invest the time and financial resources necessary to monitor them, not only through registries — which are so often violated by offenders who move on without reporting — but also in tracking these criminals down if they drop off the radar. Because once one of these predators slips out of sight for even a moment, women, little girls and little boys disappear. And all too often the kidnapped are not found alive, if they’re found at all.

Got to give the president a big bowl of props for interrupting Obama-Rama on Martha’s Vineyard with his valiant effort to paint a big old smiling happy face on the side of the economy. Although in the future he might want to come up with something a bit more reassuring than, “We’re losing jobs at a much slower pace.” Hey everybody, did you catch that? The economy is doing less badly. Alright! It’s not getting worse as rapidly as it previously was. Woo hoo! The brakes are on the slide. About as encouraging as a squad of septuagenarian cheerleaders waving black pom-poms after a loss in the rain at night. Typically, economists are unsure whether the parachute has or hasn’t opened to slow the free-fall of our recession. Or why. That’s because they’re economists. You know that phrase: “Couldn’t tell his rear end from yellow paint?” Next time you see an economist on one of those cable talk shows, check under his fingernails. You got it. Chips of yellow paint. Look up “equivocating” in the dictionary — there’s a picture of an

accountant hiding from an economist. It could be seasonal. Perhaps summer barbecue grill tongs sales peaked above expectations, or backto-school notebooks flew off the shelf, or there’s been an early run on Cool Whip in anticipation Will of massive Durst pumpkinDistributed by Cagle Cartoons

pie production. Could be just the natural way of things. You know, part of that whole good, bad, boom, bust, excellent, sucky cycle. Then again, it might have been the muchvaunted economic stimulus package kicking in. Hard to tell. Although a lot of folks still maintain the only thing the stimulus package aroused was their suspicion. Cash for Clunkers might have had a hand in it. The rebate program ended its run with about 700,000 new cars sold, and initial estimates

are that three or four of them were made in America. I got to be honest, when I first heard the phrase “Cash for Clunkers,” I thought they were talking about raising the per diem for the Senate. Or it was a recurring entry on a lobbyist’s expense report. It hasn’t been all roses and sunshine and bubble baths. Some dealers are still whining about government delays in rebate reimbursement. Yeah. You read that right. Auto dealers are complaining someone is slow holding up their end of a bargain. Should have signed up for the undercoating. Now the feds are rolling out a sequel to Cash for Clunkers whereby consumers earn rebates by trading in large appliances for energy-efficient replacements. The old twobirds-with-one-coin strategy. The problem is there’s no cute alliterative name for the program. I’m sorry; Cash for Stackable Washer/ Dryer Combos doesn’t quite cut it. Cash for Upright Freezers with Manual Defrost lacks a certain je ne sais quoi. What we need is a series of programs to recapture the

public’s fancy and open wide their wallets. People eat, don’t they? Why not seduce them into consuming domestic donuts? Cash for Dunkers. Or how about our brave American rotisserie chicken establishments? Cash for Cluckers. Maybe a stimulus program for disaffected banjo players … Cash for Pluckers. Oyster restaurants could use assistance: Cash for Shuckers. Let’s throw a bone to our indigenous cave explorers. Cash for Spelunkers. And finally, I’m personally hoping to hook into a research grant for exposing fake psychics: You know, Cash for Debunkers. Will Durst is a San Franciscobased political comic who writes sometimes. This is one of them. Please catch his new, one-man show, “The Lieutenant Governor from the State of Confusion,” when it appears near you. Will is a familiar pundit on television and radio. E-mail Will at durst@caglecartoons.com. Check out willandwillie.com for the latest podcast. And, don’t forget to check out his rooftop comedy minutes at: http:// www.rooftopcomedy.com/shows/ BurstOfDurst.

Letters to the Editor Norlina Christian boosters need you To the editor: As the Norlina Christian School Booster Club prepares for the start of an exciting new school year, the needs of our student athletes and our athletic department are at the top of our priority list. One of the ways that we raise monies for our athletic program is by offering advertising opportunities to area merchants. By advertising through the use of our sign boards, your company is recognized as a “partner in athletics” with Norlina Christian School. These sign boards are prominently displayed both in the school’s gymnasium and on the athletic field. This is an inexpensive, yet effective, way to advertise your company they perceive as pugnacious to the hundreds of people secularism. that visit NCS each year. During the last presidential Advertising costs for the campaign, Hillary Clinton entire year are $100 for one was comfortable speaking the sign board or include your language of the social gospel company’s name on both sign movement, historically the boards for only $150. religious wing of American The Booster Club is a priprogressivism. But Obama was mary support of the athletic even better. Speaking during programs at NCS and the the campaign at an evangelical students that participate in church in South Carolina, he them. All monies collected said, “I am confident that we go to support the needs of can create a kingdom right here our teams and the athletic on Earth.” He supported Bush’s facilities. Office of Faith-Based and ComYour support is vital to munity Initiatives and kept the the success of our programs. agency when he took over, albeit Please consider taking adwith a slight name change. He vantage of this opportunity courted evangelical pastor Rick to support student athletes Warren. His social agenda, went in your community while, at a constant refrain, was deeply the same time, advertising informed by the injunction that your business. Secure your we “are our brother’s keeper, advertisement on our sign our sister’s keeper.” board(s) by remitting your Leaving aside the fact that payment of $100 or $150 by the Bible nowhere says we Sept. 15 to: NCS Booster should be our brother’s keeper Club, P.O. Box 757, Norlina, (the phrase appears once — NC, 27563, Attn: Indra when Cain is trying to dodge Eatmon. a murder rap from God) or my Without the support of own view that the government area merchants we would should never see itself as a not be able to provide our keeper of anyone but incarcerathletes with quality uniated criminals (my dictionary forms and the equipment says keepers are prison guards they need. Thank you for and zoo wardens), I think your willingness to advertise Obama’s approach is a welcome with us! change of pace. Politics has always been a Jeffrey T. Harty, contest of values, and religion NCS Booster Club President remains the chief source of those values. Our political discourse has long been cheapened by the canard that only conservatives try to use the state to impose a religiously informed moral vision, while liberals are guided by science, reason and logic as well The Daily Dispatch welas some secular conception of comes letters to the editor. decency and compassion. No Letters must be signed, party has a monopoly on such include the author’s city resources, and it’s about time of residence, and should we all recognized that. be limited to 300 words. You can write to Jonah Goldberg in Please include a telephone care of this newspaper or by e-mail number for verification. at JonahsColumn@aol.com.

Obama speaks of faith The fight over health care took the most interesting turn last week. President Obama briefly switched from wonkish frippery about bending cost curves to speaking of faith. Reaching out to progressive faith leaders in two massive conference calls, Obama insisted that God was on his side. Expanding health care fulfills a “core moral and ethical obligation that we look out for one another ... that I am my brother’s keeper, my sister’s keeper.” This would be an easy opportunity to call attention, once again, to the double standards applied to Obama. When President George W. Bush invoked God as his inspiration, many liberals saw our theocrat-inchief taking a sledgehammer to the wall between church and state. When Obama does likewise, it’s inspiring, spiritual leadership. But, frankly, I find it refreshing. Of all the silly arguments that have been passed off as deeply profound in American politics, the notion that politicians can’t “impose” their personal morality on others tops the list. We have abortion politics in general, and former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo in particular, to thank for that. In 1984, Cuomo gave his famous address at Notre Dame in which he laid out the notion that a politician can be “personally opposed” to abortion but should refuse to translate that conviction into public policy. As political rhetoric, the speech was compelling. As a serious philosophical, theological or moral argument, it was a mess. For instance, Cuomo found inspiration in the Catholic Church’s relative silence on American slavery as justification for keeping religion out of the abortion debate. Never mind that abolition was the most religious of political movements. “It is a mark of contempo-

rary liberalism’s commitment to abortion,” Ramesh Ponnuru writes in “The Party of Death,” “that one of its leading lights should have been willing to support temporizing on slavery in order to defend it.” The main problem with Cuomo’s sophistry is that, once watered down into political talking points, it’s simply ludicrous. In 2004, another Jonah Catholic Goldberg Democrat captured the Tribune Media inherent conServices tradictions of Cuomo-ism nicely in a presidential debate. John Kerry insisted that his faith was “why I fight against poverty. That’s why I fight to clean up the environment and protect this Earth. That’s why I fight for equality and justice. All of those things come out of that fundamental teaching and belief of faith.” But he also said that, when it came to abortion, “What is an article of faith for me is not something that I can legislate on somebody who doesn’t share that article of faith.” The statements cannot be reconciled. By Kerry’s own admission, he seeks to legislate his articles of faith on people on nearly every issue under the sun — except abortion. Suddenly, on that issue alone, he is an adamantine secularist. But in recent years, Democratic rhetoric has been changing, for several reasons. One, many voters are put off by such double-talk. Another reason is that many smart liberals have noticed that some religious Americans are more activist on economic and environmental issues but are turned off by what

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