Authorities say man hid in brush with rifle after fleeing in pickup
Thursday, Feb. 22, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Five law enforcement officers involved in a Tuesday shooting that killed a man have been placed on administrative leave, authorities said.
The State Bureau of Investigation is looking into the shooting that killed Marty Dale Rogers, 32, in a field near his home north of Conover and about 70 miles northwest of Charlotte.
Catawba County Sheriff David Huffman said Rogers, who was dressed in camouflage and hiding in the field's thick brush with an automatic rifle, was a threat to the officers surrounding him and that authorities had no choice but to fire.
The Catawba County Sheriff's Office has put four members of the STAR team - the county's version of a SWAT team - on administrative leave through Friday, Huffman said. The team is made up of officers from several police agencies in the county.
Huffman would not name all of the deputies placed on leave but did say that Maj. Coy Reid, the team's leader, was one.
The Hickory Police Department also put one officer on administrative leave, according to a news release. He is expected to return to work after the SBI completes its investigation.
SBI agent David Call would not comment on the investigation.
Deputies from the Catawba County's Sheriff Office were trying to serve Rogers with mental health commitment papers Tuesday when he jumped into his pickup and fled.
The chase ended in a field near the intersection of Three D Ranch Road and Springs Road, where Rogers got out of the truck with the rifle, ran several hundred yards and then hid in a brushy area.
Rogers was shot and killed by a law enforcement officer's bullet after he ignored commands to put down his weapon and unlocked the gun's safety clip, Huffman said.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
2/22/07
2 more cases of rabies seen as dogs attack infected animals
Thursday, Feb. 22, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Officials in Catawba County confirmed the second and third cases of rabies this year after two dogs attacked infected animals in Vale and Conover last week.
One dog attacked and killed a rabid skunk in Vale on Feb. 13, said Catawba County animal services manager Joaine McKeel. The dog had not been vaccinated, so it was euthanized.
Another dog in Conover attacked a raccoon Feb. 14, and the dog's owner was scratched while trying to beat the raccoon off his pet, McKeel said.
He told authorities that he was unsure whether the scratch came from the raccoon or the dog and was treated by a doctor. The dog had been vaccinated and received booster shots after the attack.
The raccoon and skunk were sent to the state health lab in Raleigh, where technicians confirmed Monday that both animals had rabies, McKeel said.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Officials in Catawba County confirmed the second and third cases of rabies this year after two dogs attacked infected animals in Vale and Conover last week.
One dog attacked and killed a rabid skunk in Vale on Feb. 13, said Catawba County animal services manager Joaine McKeel. The dog had not been vaccinated, so it was euthanized.
Another dog in Conover attacked a raccoon Feb. 14, and the dog's owner was scratched while trying to beat the raccoon off his pet, McKeel said.
He told authorities that he was unsure whether the scratch came from the raccoon or the dog and was treated by a doctor. The dog had been vaccinated and received booster shots after the attack.
The raccoon and skunk were sent to the state health lab in Raleigh, where technicians confirmed Monday that both animals had rabies, McKeel said.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
The Dart: Pockets full of dusty charm
A place to shoot pool, meet old pals and snack on pickled eggs
Not much changes at Baynie’s Pool Room
Thursday, February 22, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
LENOIR - Bumper stickers line the walls at Baynie's Pool Room, where dozens of cues have permanently marked blue chalk across the battered white, green and pink paint.
Some of the pool sticks, secured to a wooden shelf with tiny padlocks, belong to regulars. Others, the ones slathered with paint at the base, are house sticks that anyone wanting to shoot a game or two can use.
Today, the 40-year-old pool hall, where The Dart recently landed, is a dark and dusty room with video and pinball games lining the perimeter, but since her husband Baynie died in 1981, owner Elaine Sipes has made it her own.
Take the stickers, for example. Every time Sipes visits a gas station, she said, she looks for a new clever phrase to add to the walls or to paste across the side of a table.
"Save a cow, eat a vegetarian," she said. "I love that one."
Four worn pool tables rest on the room's unfinished concrete floor as Sipes, 77, flips on the single overhead light. It sputters on, casting a dim glow on the hundreds of decorations she and Baynie have plastered throughout the hall.
"I think that's one of the best signs I've ever seen," Sipes said, pointing to a piece of paper hanging from the doorframe of her makeshift office.
The disclaimer, posted near the snacks and where customers pay for rounds of pool, reads: "Our credit manager is Helen Waite. If you want credit, go to Helen Waite."
For Sipes, running a poolroom isn't a bad gig.
She gets to set her own hours and take as much vacation as she needs. She lives in apartment above the hall and can show up wearing the same sweater she had on the day before.
Business has been slower in recent years, as unemployment rises in the county and furniture factories continue to close, but Sipes said she'll keep coming to work. The 50 cents she charges for a game of eight-ball, combined with the 25-cent video games, juke box fees and snack sales, pays the bills, she said, and that's enough.
But Sipes didn't always think she'd be running a business where pool tables, video games and pickled-egg sales were the main source of income.
The Pittsburgh native met Baynie, a former engineer from Lenoir, while he was taking electronics training classes in Pennsylvania. They married in 1955, and, after having the first of their five boys, moved to Lenoir in 1963.
The couple bought a small store a few miles from Hibriten Mountain and began selling groceries to neighbors.
Then, in 1967, Sipes returned to Pittsburgh for her mother's funeral, leaving Baynie to watch the shop. When she returned a few days later, the boxes of cereal and cans of food had been moved and four green felt-lined pool tables were scattered throughout the store.
Her husband had opened "Baynie's Pool Room."
In the hall's early days, Sipes said, things were a bit more wild and her husband didn't discourage patrons from drinking before coming into the hall. Now she's a bit more strict and likes thinking of the hall as a family place.
"I don't allow drinking," Sipes said. "If there were 30 men drinking in here, and just one female. Uh uh."
The regulars are OK with that, said 48-year-old Brian Swanson, who used to play at the hall and later married Baynie's niece. If someone tries pushing Sipes' rules, Swanson said, she has built-in enforcement.
"The group always protected Miss Baynie," he said. "She never had to have a bouncer because every boy in there was a bouncer for her."
Though Swanson hasn't shot pool at Baynie's for close to a decade, Sipes said she is certain he'd find it exactly the same.
"Some people come back after 20 years and will say, `Oh, you haven't changed at all,' " she said.
It's that consistency, Sipes said, that has made Baynie's what it is today.
"It's home to a lot of people," she said. "That's how you make friends and keep customers."
The Point of The Dart
The idea behind The Dart is simple: We're looking for the kind of news the media don't usually report. We throw a dart at a map of one of the counties in the Catawba Valley, and we'll write about what's happening at that spot. We hope this feature will bring out stories that too often are ignored and will help you meet some of your neighbors in the region.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Not much changes at Baynie’s Pool Room
Thursday, February 22, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
LENOIR - Bumper stickers line the walls at Baynie's Pool Room, where dozens of cues have permanently marked blue chalk across the battered white, green and pink paint.
Some of the pool sticks, secured to a wooden shelf with tiny padlocks, belong to regulars. Others, the ones slathered with paint at the base, are house sticks that anyone wanting to shoot a game or two can use.
Today, the 40-year-old pool hall, where The Dart recently landed, is a dark and dusty room with video and pinball games lining the perimeter, but since her husband Baynie died in 1981, owner Elaine Sipes has made it her own.
Take the stickers, for example. Every time Sipes visits a gas station, she said, she looks for a new clever phrase to add to the walls or to paste across the side of a table.
"Save a cow, eat a vegetarian," she said. "I love that one."
Four worn pool tables rest on the room's unfinished concrete floor as Sipes, 77, flips on the single overhead light. It sputters on, casting a dim glow on the hundreds of decorations she and Baynie have plastered throughout the hall.
"I think that's one of the best signs I've ever seen," Sipes said, pointing to a piece of paper hanging from the doorframe of her makeshift office.
The disclaimer, posted near the snacks and where customers pay for rounds of pool, reads: "Our credit manager is Helen Waite. If you want credit, go to Helen Waite."
For Sipes, running a poolroom isn't a bad gig.
She gets to set her own hours and take as much vacation as she needs. She lives in apartment above the hall and can show up wearing the same sweater she had on the day before.
Business has been slower in recent years, as unemployment rises in the county and furniture factories continue to close, but Sipes said she'll keep coming to work. The 50 cents she charges for a game of eight-ball, combined with the 25-cent video games, juke box fees and snack sales, pays the bills, she said, and that's enough.
But Sipes didn't always think she'd be running a business where pool tables, video games and pickled-egg sales were the main source of income.
The Pittsburgh native met Baynie, a former engineer from Lenoir, while he was taking electronics training classes in Pennsylvania. They married in 1955, and, after having the first of their five boys, moved to Lenoir in 1963.
The couple bought a small store a few miles from Hibriten Mountain and began selling groceries to neighbors.
Then, in 1967, Sipes returned to Pittsburgh for her mother's funeral, leaving Baynie to watch the shop. When she returned a few days later, the boxes of cereal and cans of food had been moved and four green felt-lined pool tables were scattered throughout the store.
Her husband had opened "Baynie's Pool Room."
In the hall's early days, Sipes said, things were a bit more wild and her husband didn't discourage patrons from drinking before coming into the hall. Now she's a bit more strict and likes thinking of the hall as a family place.
"I don't allow drinking," Sipes said. "If there were 30 men drinking in here, and just one female. Uh uh."
The regulars are OK with that, said 48-year-old Brian Swanson, who used to play at the hall and later married Baynie's niece. If someone tries pushing Sipes' rules, Swanson said, she has built-in enforcement.
"The group always protected Miss Baynie," he said. "She never had to have a bouncer because every boy in there was a bouncer for her."
Though Swanson hasn't shot pool at Baynie's for close to a decade, Sipes said she is certain he'd find it exactly the same.
"Some people come back after 20 years and will say, `Oh, you haven't changed at all,' " she said.
It's that consistency, Sipes said, that has made Baynie's what it is today.
"It's home to a lot of people," she said. "That's how you make friends and keep customers."
The Point of The Dart
The idea behind The Dart is simple: We're looking for the kind of news the media don't usually report. We throw a dart at a map of one of the counties in the Catawba Valley, and we'll write about what's happening at that spot. We hope this feature will bring out stories that too often are ignored and will help you meet some of your neighbors in the region.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
2/21/07
Officers kill armed man in standoff
He drove off as Catawba County deputies served mental health papers, sheriff says
32-year-old recalled by neighbor as an 'excellent dad' to 9-year-old-boy
Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
HICKORY - A Catawba County man who was being served with mental health commitment papers was shot to death during a standoff with authorities Tuesday.
Marty Dale Rogers, 32, was killed shortly after noon in a field near his home north of Conover, about 70 miles northwest of Charlotte, authorities said.
Catawba County Sheriff David Huffman said Rogers, who was dressed in camouflage and hiding in the field's thick brush with an automatic rifle, was a threat to the officers surrounding him.
"We didn't have a choice," Huffman said. "If we had not shot, he could have taken out four or five officers." Huffman was not sure who shot Rogers or who fired first, he said.
The State Bureau of Investigation was investigating.
Rogers' family would not comment, but neighbors remembered him as a loving father to his 9-year-old son.
"He was an excellent dad," said neighbor and lifelong friend Donna Sipe. "They did everything together. They went hunting together, four-wheeling together, you name it."
On Tuesday morning, Huffman said, Catawba County sheriff's deputies went to his house to serve papers that would allow them to take Rogers to a hospital for a mental health evaluation.
Mental health officials told the Sheriff's Office that Rogers had made threats, and deputies received reports that he was armed, Huffman said. Huffman said he did not know details of Rogers' mental problems.
As deputies tried to serve the papers, Rogers jumped into a pickup and led them on a 15-minute chase around the area, Huffman said.
The chase ended less than a mile from Rogers' house, after he stopped the truck behind another home.
Rogers' neighbor and longtime family friend, Jerry Sigmon, said he was working on his car next door and tried to approach the truck. Rogers raised a gun, he said, but lowered it when he recognized Sigmon.
An officer yelled at Sigmon to go into his house, and Sigmon complied, he said.
Shortly after that, about 50 officers arrived, Sigmon said.
Rogers got out of his truck with a weapon, which Huffman said was an automatic rifle, ran several hundred yards and then hid in a brushy area.
Members of the STAR team - Catawba County's version of a SWAT team - surrounded Rogers and saw him raise the gun, Huffman said.
Officers told Rogers to put the gun down several times, and he twice complied.
He raised the gun a third time, unlocked the safety clip, and officers fired several shots, Huffman said. Rogers was struck and killed.
"When someone raises a weapon and takes the clip off, he's ready to shoot," Huffman said. "You have to make a snap decision very, very quickly."
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
32-year-old recalled by neighbor as an 'excellent dad' to 9-year-old-boy
Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
HICKORY - A Catawba County man who was being served with mental health commitment papers was shot to death during a standoff with authorities Tuesday.
Marty Dale Rogers, 32, was killed shortly after noon in a field near his home north of Conover, about 70 miles northwest of Charlotte, authorities said.
Catawba County Sheriff David Huffman said Rogers, who was dressed in camouflage and hiding in the field's thick brush with an automatic rifle, was a threat to the officers surrounding him.
"We didn't have a choice," Huffman said. "If we had not shot, he could have taken out four or five officers." Huffman was not sure who shot Rogers or who fired first, he said.
The State Bureau of Investigation was investigating.
Rogers' family would not comment, but neighbors remembered him as a loving father to his 9-year-old son.
"He was an excellent dad," said neighbor and lifelong friend Donna Sipe. "They did everything together. They went hunting together, four-wheeling together, you name it."
On Tuesday morning, Huffman said, Catawba County sheriff's deputies went to his house to serve papers that would allow them to take Rogers to a hospital for a mental health evaluation.
Mental health officials told the Sheriff's Office that Rogers had made threats, and deputies received reports that he was armed, Huffman said. Huffman said he did not know details of Rogers' mental problems.
As deputies tried to serve the papers, Rogers jumped into a pickup and led them on a 15-minute chase around the area, Huffman said.
The chase ended less than a mile from Rogers' house, after he stopped the truck behind another home.
Rogers' neighbor and longtime family friend, Jerry Sigmon, said he was working on his car next door and tried to approach the truck. Rogers raised a gun, he said, but lowered it when he recognized Sigmon.
An officer yelled at Sigmon to go into his house, and Sigmon complied, he said.
Shortly after that, about 50 officers arrived, Sigmon said.
Rogers got out of his truck with a weapon, which Huffman said was an automatic rifle, ran several hundred yards and then hid in a brushy area.
Members of the STAR team - Catawba County's version of a SWAT team - surrounded Rogers and saw him raise the gun, Huffman said.
Officers told Rogers to put the gun down several times, and he twice complied.
He raised the gun a third time, unlocked the safety clip, and officers fired several shots, Huffman said. Rogers was struck and killed.
"When someone raises a weapon and takes the clip off, he's ready to shoot," Huffman said. "You have to make a snap decision very, very quickly."
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
2/18/07
Keeping the faith that lawsuit will be settled
Mountain Grove Baptist Church pastor says case is bringing members together
Sunday, February 18, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
BATON - The Rev. Clifton Black thought a message about coping with change was most appropriate for today's sermon.
Mountain Grove Baptist Church, where Black has been preaching for more than 20 years, is embroiled in a $1.9 million lawsuit with a former contractor, which last week stirred a flurry of rumors that the church was closing.
A week ago, an e-mail from a church member circulated throughout the community claiming that Mountain Grove was being padlocked, and local newspapers reported that the congregation may be forced to move from the building.
Some members were skeptical that the doors of the sanctuary would even open today.
"The possibility of having to start everything over is just sad," said longtime member Chris Smith. "A lot of people were fearful (but) hopeful that something that would work out."
But pastors at the 4,000-member church, site of former Caldwell County Sheriff Gary Clark's funeral this month and one of the largest in the county, said that the rumors that Mountain Grove is closing its doors have been just that - rumors.
"Regardless of what you might have read, we will have all of our services here at Mountain Grove this Sunday," Black said in an e-mail sent to the congregation last week. "We still have lots of options ahead of us, so do not despair."
Pastors at the church say they have received numerous calls from members and others, offering support. A church in Hickory even offered to share worship space with Mountain Grove's congregation.
"It's wonderful when you know people are praying for you," said women's minister Jan Chester. "A lot of it is the encouragement that people are giving the staff."
What isn't rumor is the judgment against Mountain Grove, which said the church owes David Gray, a former contractor from Lenoir, for the new sanctuary and gymnasium he finished building in 2000.
On Wednesday, a judge upheld a June ruling that the church would have to pay Gray $865,835 plus interest and attorney and courts fees, all totaling more than $1.9 million. The church plans to appeal.
Meanwhile, Black and others say the ordeal is, in some ways, making the church stronger.
"Everyone thinks the lawsuit is negative, but it's actually uniting people and bringing new people in," Black said. "These are positive things developing out of something that is negative."
Members of the church, which runs a food pantry, substance abuse programs and other outreach programs, say they'd miss the building, but the real connection to Mountain Grove is through the people.
"I've never been anywhere else like it," said Rick Harris, who plays drums in the church's praise band. "(We'd) just have to get a new building. It will work itself out."
In March 1996, Black signed a $2.2 million contract with Gray's company, White Fox Construction, to build a new sanctuary that would hold 2,000 people and accommodate the thriving congregation. During construction, which began a few months later, the church leaders made a few changes in the building plans and asked that a new gym also be added, increasing costs by $817,614, according to the lawsuit.
Gray claims the church left a balance of more than $865,000, which he had to absorb, according to court documents.
The church, however, says it paid all it was required to - a few hundred thousand dollars to subcontractors and more than $2 million to White Fox.
Gray sued in January 2004.
But Gray said the money he lost forced him to dissolve White Fox Construction, a Granite Falls-based business he owned for more than 22 years.
"It's been one of the biggest struggles of my life," Gray said. "I was obviously very disappointed to close my business, and it's had some negative emotional ramifications with my family." He now works for another contractor.
Both sides say they hope to reach a settlement, but, at this point, they appear far apart.
Meanwhile, Black and his congregation are staying optimistic.
"We're doing awesome," Black said. "Worst-case scenario, we lose this building. We're a church for people, and we'll continue to be Mountain Grove Church, even if it isn't on this site."
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
BATON - The Rev. Clifton Black thought a message about coping with change was most appropriate for today's sermon.
Mountain Grove Baptist Church, where Black has been preaching for more than 20 years, is embroiled in a $1.9 million lawsuit with a former contractor, which last week stirred a flurry of rumors that the church was closing.
A week ago, an e-mail from a church member circulated throughout the community claiming that Mountain Grove was being padlocked, and local newspapers reported that the congregation may be forced to move from the building.
Some members were skeptical that the doors of the sanctuary would even open today.
"The possibility of having to start everything over is just sad," said longtime member Chris Smith. "A lot of people were fearful (but) hopeful that something that would work out."
But pastors at the 4,000-member church, site of former Caldwell County Sheriff Gary Clark's funeral this month and one of the largest in the county, said that the rumors that Mountain Grove is closing its doors have been just that - rumors.
"Regardless of what you might have read, we will have all of our services here at Mountain Grove this Sunday," Black said in an e-mail sent to the congregation last week. "We still have lots of options ahead of us, so do not despair."
Pastors at the church say they have received numerous calls from members and others, offering support. A church in Hickory even offered to share worship space with Mountain Grove's congregation.
"It's wonderful when you know people are praying for you," said women's minister Jan Chester. "A lot of it is the encouragement that people are giving the staff."
What isn't rumor is the judgment against Mountain Grove, which said the church owes David Gray, a former contractor from Lenoir, for the new sanctuary and gymnasium he finished building in 2000.
On Wednesday, a judge upheld a June ruling that the church would have to pay Gray $865,835 plus interest and attorney and courts fees, all totaling more than $1.9 million. The church plans to appeal.
Meanwhile, Black and others say the ordeal is, in some ways, making the church stronger.
"Everyone thinks the lawsuit is negative, but it's actually uniting people and bringing new people in," Black said. "These are positive things developing out of something that is negative."
Members of the church, which runs a food pantry, substance abuse programs and other outreach programs, say they'd miss the building, but the real connection to Mountain Grove is through the people.
"I've never been anywhere else like it," said Rick Harris, who plays drums in the church's praise band. "(We'd) just have to get a new building. It will work itself out."
In March 1996, Black signed a $2.2 million contract with Gray's company, White Fox Construction, to build a new sanctuary that would hold 2,000 people and accommodate the thriving congregation. During construction, which began a few months later, the church leaders made a few changes in the building plans and asked that a new gym also be added, increasing costs by $817,614, according to the lawsuit.
Gray claims the church left a balance of more than $865,000, which he had to absorb, according to court documents.
The church, however, says it paid all it was required to - a few hundred thousand dollars to subcontractors and more than $2 million to White Fox.
Gray sued in January 2004.
But Gray said the money he lost forced him to dissolve White Fox Construction, a Granite Falls-based business he owned for more than 22 years.
"It's been one of the biggest struggles of my life," Gray said. "I was obviously very disappointed to close my business, and it's had some negative emotional ramifications with my family." He now works for another contractor.
Both sides say they hope to reach a settlement, but, at this point, they appear far apart.
Meanwhile, Black and his congregation are staying optimistic.
"We're doing awesome," Black said. "Worst-case scenario, we lose this building. We're a church for people, and we'll continue to be Mountain Grove Church, even if it isn't on this site."
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
2/17/07
Republican leaders nominate acting sheriff to take over job
Saturday, Feb. 17, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
GOP leaders in Caldwell County on Thursday unanimously nominated Maj. Alan Jones as the county's new sheriff.
Jones has been acting sheriff since Sheriff Gary Clark's death two weeks ago and is expected to be officially appointed by Caldwell County commissioners at their meeting Monday night.
Clark died Feb. 2, less than three months after winning a second term and less than two months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Republican Party Chairwoman Jo Murray said Jones told the party's executive committee in a closed meeting Thursday that he will continue running the Sheriff's Office according to Clark's plans, which includes focusing on drug-related crime.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
GOP leaders in Caldwell County on Thursday unanimously nominated Maj. Alan Jones as the county's new sheriff.
Jones has been acting sheriff since Sheriff Gary Clark's death two weeks ago and is expected to be officially appointed by Caldwell County commissioners at their meeting Monday night.
Clark died Feb. 2, less than three months after winning a second term and less than two months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Republican Party Chairwoman Jo Murray said Jones told the party's executive committee in a closed meeting Thursday that he will continue running the Sheriff's Office according to Clark's plans, which includes focusing on drug-related crime.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
2/15/07
Reduction of cable TV debt on priority list
Economic development and personnel policy revisions also discussed
Thursday, Feb. 15, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Cable television, economic development and revising personnel policies top the Morganton City Council's list of priorities for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1.
Upgrading the city-owned cable television system to digital in 2004 was a critical competitive move, Mayor Mel Cohen said. But the city is still paying back the $7.3 million it borrowed for the improvements.
"We've got to come up with some progressive measures to alleviate that problem," Cohen said.
At the council's recent annual retreat, members discussed ways to increase cable revenue, including the development of a better marketing plan for premium channels such as HBO and Cinemax.
Council members also discussed the expansion of Catawba Meadows Park, a recreational complex about 1 1/2 miles from downtown Morganton.
The project, Cohen said, is key to increasing tourism in the county and will draw visitors interested in the planned mountain biking trails, hiking paths and kayak launch.
"It's part of our economic development (plan) to bring people to our community, to sleep in our hotels and eat in our restaurants," he said. Cohen said he hopes to see Catawba Meadows completed within eight years.
Council member Larry Whisnant said Tuesday that he hopes Burke County, which will also benefit from increased tourism, will help pay for the $9.8 million complex.
"We're certainly not going to raise taxes to get there," Whisnant said.
Other top priorities included revising the city's personnel and nepotism policies, working on capital improvement projects, expanding the city's geographical information system and reviewing the annexation policy.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Thursday, Feb. 15, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Cable television, economic development and revising personnel policies top the Morganton City Council's list of priorities for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1.
Upgrading the city-owned cable television system to digital in 2004 was a critical competitive move, Mayor Mel Cohen said. But the city is still paying back the $7.3 million it borrowed for the improvements.
"We've got to come up with some progressive measures to alleviate that problem," Cohen said.
At the council's recent annual retreat, members discussed ways to increase cable revenue, including the development of a better marketing plan for premium channels such as HBO and Cinemax.
Council members also discussed the expansion of Catawba Meadows Park, a recreational complex about 1 1/2 miles from downtown Morganton.
The project, Cohen said, is key to increasing tourism in the county and will draw visitors interested in the planned mountain biking trails, hiking paths and kayak launch.
"It's part of our economic development (plan) to bring people to our community, to sleep in our hotels and eat in our restaurants," he said. Cohen said he hopes to see Catawba Meadows completed within eight years.
Council member Larry Whisnant said Tuesday that he hopes Burke County, which will also benefit from increased tourism, will help pay for the $9.8 million complex.
"We're certainly not going to raise taxes to get there," Whisnant said.
Other top priorities included revising the city's personnel and nepotism policies, working on capital improvement projects, expanding the city's geographical information system and reviewing the annexation policy.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Sheriff recommendation expected by week's end
Caldwell GOP sifting through list of 11 candidates to fill post that was left vacant by Clark's death
Thursday, Feb. 15, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Republican leaders in Caldwell County are sifting through a list of 11 nominees to replace Sheriff Gary Clark, who died earlier this month, and hope to recommend their choice to commissioners by the end of the week.
Clark died Feb. 2, less than three months after winning a second term and less than two months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, leaving Republican leaders and county commissioners the responsibility to pick and appoint a successor.
Maj. Alan Jones, who has been acting sheriff since Clark's death, and Capt. Chris Bracket, the county's recently appointed jail administrator, were both nominated for the position, said commissioner Herb Greene.
Brackett, however, said he withdrew his nomination last week.
Jo Murray, county GOP chairman, said earlier this week that the party began taking nominations from local Republicans for a replacement shortly after Clark died. Murray said the party's executive committee is looking at the credentials of 11 nominees, none of whom she would name.
The committee will make its recommendation at Monday's Board of Commissioners meeting.
"We're looking for someone who has the training and education to handle the job," Murray said.
The commissioners, according to state law, are required to appoint the person recommended by the executive committee of Clark's political party, the Republicans..
Murray said she initially thought the commissioners were responsible for picking a replacement. When she reread the statute, Murray said, she realized that the party can pick a replacement, whom commissioners must then appoint, within 30 days of the sheriff's death.
"That's pretty clear," said Robert Joyce, assistant director of the Institute of Government at UNC Chapel Hill. "Not appointing the party's recommendation is not allowed under the law."
If commissioners don't appoint the party's recommendation, Joyce said, Republican leaders in Caldwell County could file a lawsuit asking the board follow the state statute.
Greene, a Republican, said Tuesday that he would not approve a replacement based on the party's recommendation alone.
"We're trying to get it done through the Republican Party," he said. "But if the best person is not nominated, I can only tell you that I will not vote for him." Commission Chairman Faye Higgins was out of town and could not be reached for comment.
Still, Greene said, he isn't expecting any problems.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Thursday, Feb. 15, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Republican leaders in Caldwell County are sifting through a list of 11 nominees to replace Sheriff Gary Clark, who died earlier this month, and hope to recommend their choice to commissioners by the end of the week.
Clark died Feb. 2, less than three months after winning a second term and less than two months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, leaving Republican leaders and county commissioners the responsibility to pick and appoint a successor.
Maj. Alan Jones, who has been acting sheriff since Clark's death, and Capt. Chris Bracket, the county's recently appointed jail administrator, were both nominated for the position, said commissioner Herb Greene.
Brackett, however, said he withdrew his nomination last week.
Jo Murray, county GOP chairman, said earlier this week that the party began taking nominations from local Republicans for a replacement shortly after Clark died. Murray said the party's executive committee is looking at the credentials of 11 nominees, none of whom she would name.
The committee will make its recommendation at Monday's Board of Commissioners meeting.
"We're looking for someone who has the training and education to handle the job," Murray said.
The commissioners, according to state law, are required to appoint the person recommended by the executive committee of Clark's political party, the Republicans..
Murray said she initially thought the commissioners were responsible for picking a replacement. When she reread the statute, Murray said, she realized that the party can pick a replacement, whom commissioners must then appoint, within 30 days of the sheriff's death.
"That's pretty clear," said Robert Joyce, assistant director of the Institute of Government at UNC Chapel Hill. "Not appointing the party's recommendation is not allowed under the law."
If commissioners don't appoint the party's recommendation, Joyce said, Republican leaders in Caldwell County could file a lawsuit asking the board follow the state statute.
Greene, a Republican, said Tuesday that he would not approve a replacement based on the party's recommendation alone.
"We're trying to get it done through the Republican Party," he said. "But if the best person is not nominated, I can only tell you that I will not vote for him." Commission Chairman Faye Higgins was out of town and could not be reached for comment.
Still, Greene said, he isn't expecting any problems.
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2/14/07
1st case of '07 rabies found after dog exposed to skunk
Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Officials Tuesday confirmed Catawba County's first case of rabies this year after a dog was exposed to a rabid skunk in the Vale community.
Authorities were not sure if the dog killed the skunk or if the animal was already dead when the dog found it, according to the Catawba County's Animal Care and Control Division.
The dog had not been vaccinated and was euthanized, officials said. State health technicians in Raleigh confirmed Tuesday that the skunk was rabid.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Officials Tuesday confirmed Catawba County's first case of rabies this year after a dog was exposed to a rabid skunk in the Vale community.
Authorities were not sure if the dog killed the skunk or if the animal was already dead when the dog found it, according to the Catawba County's Animal Care and Control Division.
The dog had not been vaccinated and was euthanized, officials said. State health technicians in Raleigh confirmed Tuesday that the skunk was rabid.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Hundreds lose phone, Internet service when fire melts cables
Wenesday, Feb. 14, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Hundreds of homes and businesses in Conover lost telephone and Internet service Tuesday after a fire ripped through a vacant home and burned though phone cables hanging nearby, authorities said.
More than 450 customers were left without service Tuesday when the blaze melted seven phone cables, said Tom Matthews, regional media relations manager for Embarq.
Matthews said he expected phone and Internet connections to be restored to all customers Tuesday evening.
The blaze ripped through the vacant home on Old U.S. 70 in Conover shortly before 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, said Conover Fire Department Deputy Fire Chief Bobby Hedrick. Authorities Tuesday were investigating how the fire started.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Hundreds of homes and businesses in Conover lost telephone and Internet service Tuesday after a fire ripped through a vacant home and burned though phone cables hanging nearby, authorities said.
More than 450 customers were left without service Tuesday when the blaze melted seven phone cables, said Tom Matthews, regional media relations manager for Embarq.
Matthews said he expected phone and Internet connections to be restored to all customers Tuesday evening.
The blaze ripped through the vacant home on Old U.S. 70 in Conover shortly before 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, said Conover Fire Department Deputy Fire Chief Bobby Hedrick. Authorities Tuesday were investigating how the fire started.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Authorities unsure whether fire at campground set intentionally
Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Officials were investigating a fire that destroyed one wooden tent at Balls Creek Campground and damaged two others Monday.
Authorities from the Catawba County Fire Marshal's Office did not know Tuesday whether the blaze was intentionally set, said fire inspector William Bump.
The campground is the site of the annual Ball's Creek Camp Meeting, a religious revival and gathering of people from the community that has been held for about 150 years.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Officials were investigating a fire that destroyed one wooden tent at Balls Creek Campground and damaged two others Monday.
Authorities from the Catawba County Fire Marshal's Office did not know Tuesday whether the blaze was intentionally set, said fire inspector William Bump.
The campground is the site of the annual Ball's Creek Camp Meeting, a religious revival and gathering of people from the community that has been held for about 150 years.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
2/11/07
A peek behind jails' doors
Beating, escape by inmates in Burke County put spotlight on security needs
Sunday, Feb. 11, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Last month, a detention officer was distributing medication at the Burke County Jail when three inmates grabbed him, choked him with the metal cord of a nearby pay phone and handcuffed him to the cell.
The inmates took the guard's keys before dousing him with pepper spray and beating him over the head with a flashlight.
They escaped from the cell and soon confronted the second jailer on duty, whom they handcuffed and beat over the head with a baton and flashlight. One of the inmates went into the control room and unlocked a door to the outside.
Within moments, as the guards lay in pools of blood, the three inmates had escaped through the jail's front door.
Normally, jails are out of sight, and we rarely consider what's happening on the other side of the steel doors.
But the recent escape from the Burke County Jail and several inmate deaths in recent months at jails connected to Catawba County have left Unifour residents wondering what's happening behind the concrete walls.
One thing is certain - jails in the region are looking for change. Alexander County officials are making plans for a new and larger facility, while Caldwell County's jail administrator is trying to keep overcrowding at a minimum by moving convicted inmates to prison soon after they are sentenced.
Burke County officials are making progress at adding officers to the downtown jail, which they say has been severely understaffed for years, and Catawba County is getting ready to open a state-of-the-art jail four times as large as its current facility.
The Observer looked at these jails and compared staffing, budget and inmate capacity at each facility. We also talked to sheriffs and administrators about each jail's greatest needs and most pressing issues.
Burke County Jail
Overview: Burke County Sheriff John McDevitt has said that the 31-year-old jail in downtown Morganton is in need of major renovations and is dangerously understaffed. Last month, three inmates escaped from the jail after handcuffing and severely beating the two guards on duty.
Inmates: The 66-bed jail is often near its capacity; in the last month, the number of inmates ranged from 47 to 64. It averages 54 inmates a day; the typical ratio of guards to inmates is 1 to 27.
Jailers: Eight detention officers, allowing for two jailers per shift. Last week, the Burke County Board of Commissioners added two more detention officers, which would bring the nighttime shifts up to three guards. New jailers receive an annual salary of less than $24,000. Since the jail only takes male inmates, only male guards work there.
2006-07 Budget: $1.1 million.
Anticipated 2007-08 Budget: Could not provide.
Needs: Staffing, working security cameras, new doors, an updated key system and a smoke ventilation system.
New Catawba County Jail
Overview: The new Catawba County jail, which is in the final stages of construction and has not been named, is scheduled to begin housing inmates this spring. Sheriff David Huffman says the state-of-the-art facility, which features eight video visitation booths, was designed so that it can be expanded.
Inmates: The 176-bed jail, at 98,000 square feet, is about four times as large as the county's current jail. In addition to a trusty dormitory, the jail has single-bed cells, two-bed cells and four padded holding cells.
Jailers: Guards will work in the new jail as well as in the attached older facility. The jail employs deputies who have detention training, as well as detention officers. Annual salaries for deputies begin at $32,111; salaries for detention officers start at $26,401.
Anticipated 2007-08 Budget: $4.6 million (combined detention budget including the new jail).
Issues: Huffman hopes to house male and female inmates in the new jail and renovate the older facility for juveniles.
Caldwell County Detention Center
Overview: The seven-year-old jail is the region's newest facility currently housing inmates, and the new administrator, Capt. Chris Brackett, is focusing on keeping the jail in good shape.
Inmates: The 185-bed jail, which holds male and female inmates, is often near capacity or overcrowded, peaking at more than 250 inmates last fall. In January, it housed between 171 and 196 inmates. The typical ratio of guards to inmates is 1 to 26.
Jailers: The jail employs 28 full-time detention officers, allowing for seven jailers per 12-hour shift. New jailers receive an annual salary of $22,634. Last month, county commissioners approved hiring eight new detention officers. They have been hired.
2006-07 Budget: $2.2 million.
Anticipated 2007-08 Budget: Could not provide.
Issues: Bracket said the jail needs more staffing and higher salaries. Problems have included an escape in 2002 and a July 2005 suicide when an inmate hanged himself in his cell.
Burke-Catawba Confinement Facility
Overview: The 12-year-old jail, operated jointly by Burke and Catawba counties, is a prefabricated facility that houses men and women. Last month, a 27-year-old female inmate died while being held in an isolation cell. The State Bureau of Investigation is looking into the death.
Inmates: Overcrowding is common at the 176-bed jail. In January, the jail held between 177 and 203, and the typical ratio of guards to inmates is 1 to 35. Two inmates have escaped from the jail in the past 10 years. The most recent escape was in 1998.
Jailers: The jail employs 29 full-time detention officers, allowing for six jailers per 12-hour shift. New jailers receive an annual salary of $23,865.
2006-07 Budget: $2.5 million.
Anticipated 2007-08 Budget: $2.6 million.
Needs: Increased salary and staffing.
Alexander County Detention Center
Overview: Sheriff Hayden Bentley said the 37-year-old jail in downtown Taylorsville desperately needs renovations to accommodate increasing numbers of inmates. He has been looking at designs for a new facility with more than 100 beds and would like to break ground by spring 2008.
Inmates: The 26-bed jail is regularly overcrowded, and in the last month held between 23 and 39 inmates. The typical ratio of guards to inmates is 1 to 15. Most of Alexander County's female inmates are housed at the Caldwell County Jail.
Jailers: Six full-time detention officers. Two jailers work per 12-hour shift. New jailers receive an annual salary of $22,000.
2006-07 Budget: $606,513.
Anticipated 2007-08 Budget: $618,643.
Needs: Staffing, additional cell space, and major renovations and updates.
Catawba County Jail
Overview: Catawba County Sheriff David Huffman has said that the 27-year-old jail attached to the government center in Newton is outdated and needs major renovations and updates. Since September 2004, two men have died in custody. A third died from head trauma in June 2006, two days after being released from the jail.
Inmates: The 98-bed jail is perpetually overcrowded, and in the last month housed between 143 to 180 male and female inmates. Many sleep on mats on the floor. In January 2000, an inmate escaped during visitation hours after hitting a guard over the head.
Jailers: Fourteen full-time detention officers. Three guards work each 12-hour shift. An additional jailer works between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. Jailers are trained deputies and start at an annual salary of $32,111.
2006-07 Budget: $2.9 million.
Anticipated 2007-08 Budget: $4.6 million (combined detention budget including the new jail).
Issues: Insufficient bed space, minimal storage room, staffing, and major renovations and updates.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Sunday, Feb. 11, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Last month, a detention officer was distributing medication at the Burke County Jail when three inmates grabbed him, choked him with the metal cord of a nearby pay phone and handcuffed him to the cell.
The inmates took the guard's keys before dousing him with pepper spray and beating him over the head with a flashlight.
They escaped from the cell and soon confronted the second jailer on duty, whom they handcuffed and beat over the head with a baton and flashlight. One of the inmates went into the control room and unlocked a door to the outside.
Within moments, as the guards lay in pools of blood, the three inmates had escaped through the jail's front door.
Normally, jails are out of sight, and we rarely consider what's happening on the other side of the steel doors.
But the recent escape from the Burke County Jail and several inmate deaths in recent months at jails connected to Catawba County have left Unifour residents wondering what's happening behind the concrete walls.
One thing is certain - jails in the region are looking for change. Alexander County officials are making plans for a new and larger facility, while Caldwell County's jail administrator is trying to keep overcrowding at a minimum by moving convicted inmates to prison soon after they are sentenced.
Burke County officials are making progress at adding officers to the downtown jail, which they say has been severely understaffed for years, and Catawba County is getting ready to open a state-of-the-art jail four times as large as its current facility.
The Observer looked at these jails and compared staffing, budget and inmate capacity at each facility. We also talked to sheriffs and administrators about each jail's greatest needs and most pressing issues.
Burke County Jail
Overview: Burke County Sheriff John McDevitt has said that the 31-year-old jail in downtown Morganton is in need of major renovations and is dangerously understaffed. Last month, three inmates escaped from the jail after handcuffing and severely beating the two guards on duty.
Inmates: The 66-bed jail is often near its capacity; in the last month, the number of inmates ranged from 47 to 64. It averages 54 inmates a day; the typical ratio of guards to inmates is 1 to 27.
Jailers: Eight detention officers, allowing for two jailers per shift. Last week, the Burke County Board of Commissioners added two more detention officers, which would bring the nighttime shifts up to three guards. New jailers receive an annual salary of less than $24,000. Since the jail only takes male inmates, only male guards work there.
2006-07 Budget: $1.1 million.
Anticipated 2007-08 Budget: Could not provide.
Needs: Staffing, working security cameras, new doors, an updated key system and a smoke ventilation system.
New Catawba County Jail
Overview: The new Catawba County jail, which is in the final stages of construction and has not been named, is scheduled to begin housing inmates this spring. Sheriff David Huffman says the state-of-the-art facility, which features eight video visitation booths, was designed so that it can be expanded.
Inmates: The 176-bed jail, at 98,000 square feet, is about four times as large as the county's current jail. In addition to a trusty dormitory, the jail has single-bed cells, two-bed cells and four padded holding cells.
Jailers: Guards will work in the new jail as well as in the attached older facility. The jail employs deputies who have detention training, as well as detention officers. Annual salaries for deputies begin at $32,111; salaries for detention officers start at $26,401.
Anticipated 2007-08 Budget: $4.6 million (combined detention budget including the new jail).
Issues: Huffman hopes to house male and female inmates in the new jail and renovate the older facility for juveniles.
Caldwell County Detention Center
Overview: The seven-year-old jail is the region's newest facility currently housing inmates, and the new administrator, Capt. Chris Brackett, is focusing on keeping the jail in good shape.
Inmates: The 185-bed jail, which holds male and female inmates, is often near capacity or overcrowded, peaking at more than 250 inmates last fall. In January, it housed between 171 and 196 inmates. The typical ratio of guards to inmates is 1 to 26.
Jailers: The jail employs 28 full-time detention officers, allowing for seven jailers per 12-hour shift. New jailers receive an annual salary of $22,634. Last month, county commissioners approved hiring eight new detention officers. They have been hired.
2006-07 Budget: $2.2 million.
Anticipated 2007-08 Budget: Could not provide.
Issues: Bracket said the jail needs more staffing and higher salaries. Problems have included an escape in 2002 and a July 2005 suicide when an inmate hanged himself in his cell.
Burke-Catawba Confinement Facility
Overview: The 12-year-old jail, operated jointly by Burke and Catawba counties, is a prefabricated facility that houses men and women. Last month, a 27-year-old female inmate died while being held in an isolation cell. The State Bureau of Investigation is looking into the death.
Inmates: Overcrowding is common at the 176-bed jail. In January, the jail held between 177 and 203, and the typical ratio of guards to inmates is 1 to 35. Two inmates have escaped from the jail in the past 10 years. The most recent escape was in 1998.
Jailers: The jail employs 29 full-time detention officers, allowing for six jailers per 12-hour shift. New jailers receive an annual salary of $23,865.
2006-07 Budget: $2.5 million.
Anticipated 2007-08 Budget: $2.6 million.
Needs: Increased salary and staffing.
Alexander County Detention Center
Overview: Sheriff Hayden Bentley said the 37-year-old jail in downtown Taylorsville desperately needs renovations to accommodate increasing numbers of inmates. He has been looking at designs for a new facility with more than 100 beds and would like to break ground by spring 2008.
Inmates: The 26-bed jail is regularly overcrowded, and in the last month held between 23 and 39 inmates. The typical ratio of guards to inmates is 1 to 15. Most of Alexander County's female inmates are housed at the Caldwell County Jail.
Jailers: Six full-time detention officers. Two jailers work per 12-hour shift. New jailers receive an annual salary of $22,000.
2006-07 Budget: $606,513.
Anticipated 2007-08 Budget: $618,643.
Needs: Staffing, additional cell space, and major renovations and updates.
Catawba County Jail
Overview: Catawba County Sheriff David Huffman has said that the 27-year-old jail attached to the government center in Newton is outdated and needs major renovations and updates. Since September 2004, two men have died in custody. A third died from head trauma in June 2006, two days after being released from the jail.
Inmates: The 98-bed jail is perpetually overcrowded, and in the last month housed between 143 to 180 male and female inmates. Many sleep on mats on the floor. In January 2000, an inmate escaped during visitation hours after hitting a guard over the head.
Jailers: Fourteen full-time detention officers. Three guards work each 12-hour shift. An additional jailer works between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. Jailers are trained deputies and start at an annual salary of $32,111.
2006-07 Budget: $2.9 million.
Anticipated 2007-08 Budget: $4.6 million (combined detention budget including the new jail).
Issues: Insufficient bed space, minimal storage room, staffing, and major renovations and updates.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
2/8/07
Burke adds 2 to jail staff
But sheriff says more steps needed to improve security at downtown facility
Issue promts heated debate among county commissioners, followed by 4-1 vote
Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
MORGANTON - Burke County will hire two new jailers to improve security at the downtown jail in Morganton, but more steps are needed, Sheriff John McDevitt said.
After a heated debate Tuesday, county commissioners approved funding the two new jail positions, along with more money for deputies to work extra shifts at the jail.
Less than a month ago, three inmates escaped from the Burke County jail and severely beat the two guards on duty. The attack, which left one jailer with stitches and staples in his head, prompted commissioners to reconsider staffing and security at the 66-bed facility.
"They took an awful beating, and they could have been killed," Chairman Wayne Abele said.
By last week, all five commissioners had toured the jail, and in a 4-to-1 vote Tuesday, the board approved hiring two additional jailers and paying for deputies to work overtime shifts until the new detention officers are hired.
"We can make do with that," McDevitt said after Tuesday's vote. "We've got to fix it so it's at least safe."
Commissioner Maynard Taylor voted against the motion.
The move, McDevitt said, allows the Sheriff's Office to add a third guard to each nighttime shift, providing more security at the 31-year-old jail. Currently, the jail has eight jailers, or two per shift.
The meeting dissolved into a yelling match after Taylor said he was opposed to approving the hiring of additional guards without a discussion of spending by the Sheriff's Office on other items, such as patrol vehicles.
He began to discuss other spending issues and to present a packet of documents but was stymied by other commissioners, who said the discussion was unrelated to the staffing shortage.
Abele told Taylor to raise the issues with McDevitt later, but Taylor raised his voice and continued to talk about the Sheriff's Office spending.
"If you'd like to have a meeting with the sheriff later, then you can do that," Abele shouted back.
As Taylor continued to talk, Abele pounded his gavel, shouted, "as chairman, I am saying we are not going to continue this" and ordered a 10-minute recess.
When the meeting resumed, commissioner Ruth Ann Suttle asked the board to vote on a motion to hire the jailers.
Still, McDevitt said, the additional positions offer only temporary relief at a jail that is out of date and dangerous. Other top concerns, he said last month, include the need for working security cameras, new doors, an updated key system and a smoke ventilation system.
Abele said commissioners are also seriously looking at ways to improve detention facilities in the county and haven't ruled against building a new jail. The first priority, he said, was to add staff.
"This will be on our minds going forward," Abele said at Tuesday's meeting. "We can't make a hasty decision on the facility."
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Issue promts heated debate among county commissioners, followed by 4-1 vote
Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
MORGANTON - Burke County will hire two new jailers to improve security at the downtown jail in Morganton, but more steps are needed, Sheriff John McDevitt said.
After a heated debate Tuesday, county commissioners approved funding the two new jail positions, along with more money for deputies to work extra shifts at the jail.
Less than a month ago, three inmates escaped from the Burke County jail and severely beat the two guards on duty. The attack, which left one jailer with stitches and staples in his head, prompted commissioners to reconsider staffing and security at the 66-bed facility.
"They took an awful beating, and they could have been killed," Chairman Wayne Abele said.
By last week, all five commissioners had toured the jail, and in a 4-to-1 vote Tuesday, the board approved hiring two additional jailers and paying for deputies to work overtime shifts until the new detention officers are hired.
"We can make do with that," McDevitt said after Tuesday's vote. "We've got to fix it so it's at least safe."
Commissioner Maynard Taylor voted against the motion.
The move, McDevitt said, allows the Sheriff's Office to add a third guard to each nighttime shift, providing more security at the 31-year-old jail. Currently, the jail has eight jailers, or two per shift.
The meeting dissolved into a yelling match after Taylor said he was opposed to approving the hiring of additional guards without a discussion of spending by the Sheriff's Office on other items, such as patrol vehicles.
He began to discuss other spending issues and to present a packet of documents but was stymied by other commissioners, who said the discussion was unrelated to the staffing shortage.
Abele told Taylor to raise the issues with McDevitt later, but Taylor raised his voice and continued to talk about the Sheriff's Office spending.
"If you'd like to have a meeting with the sheriff later, then you can do that," Abele shouted back.
As Taylor continued to talk, Abele pounded his gavel, shouted, "as chairman, I am saying we are not going to continue this" and ordered a 10-minute recess.
When the meeting resumed, commissioner Ruth Ann Suttle asked the board to vote on a motion to hire the jailers.
Still, McDevitt said, the additional positions offer only temporary relief at a jail that is out of date and dangerous. Other top concerns, he said last month, include the need for working security cameras, new doors, an updated key system and a smoke ventilation system.
Abele said commissioners are also seriously looking at ways to improve detention facilities in the county and haven't ruled against building a new jail. The first priority, he said, was to add staff.
"This will be on our minds going forward," Abele said at Tuesday's meeting. "We can't make a hasty decision on the facility."
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
It’s a horse lover’s dream
Equestrian center develops from a childhood memory
Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
CONNELLY SPRINGS - Decades ago, when Oscar Vasquez was a boy living in El Salvador, he would play with the work horses on his grandfather's tiny farm.
Then, one day, the fair came through Vasquez's town.
"The people who had money would show off, and there was this guy who rode a black stallion," Vasquez said. "And I was just `whoa,' you know? He was such a beautiful animal."
Years later, that memory sparked the idea for a community on Lake Rhodhiss, a 320-lot development in Burke County called Paradise Harbor.
Vasquez said he envisions residents riding horses across the development's 873 acres, through wooded trails behind their homes and along the water.
Vasquez started developing the land, which curves along Lake Rhodhiss, in June 2004, and started selling lots about four months later. In November 2006, the first resident finished building his home and moved in.
"There's a need for that," Vasquez said. "There's a lot of people who want to have horses, and it seemed like a good way to market the property."
Vasquez, a 50-year-old former fisherman, has been developing properties across the Unifour for more than 15 years, starting with 10-acre developments and gradually moving to larger projects with hundreds of lots, some as big as 14 acres.
When Vasquez was 15, he moved from El Salvador to Texas and began working on a shrimp boat. Later, when he was living in Florida and fishing for scallops, Vasquez met a woman from Whitnel and soon began visiting her in Caldwell County.
The relationship didn't work out, but Vasquez liked the area, with its rolling mountains, and decided to move here and get his contractor's license.
In 2001, he decided to focus solely on waterfront properties and began developing land on Lake Hickory and Lake James.
The equestrian angle on Lake Rhodhiss, he said, was inspired by a lifelong attraction to horses and the 40 mares and stallion Paso Finos he keeps at his private Caldwell County farm, Rancho de Sueños, or "Ranch of Dreams."
"I worked very hard for a few years, and then I saw a Paso Fino, and it reminded me of the horse I saw at the fair," he said. "I found what I was looking for."
The Caldwell County ranch, which he bought about 10 years ago, features a two-story clubhouse and a 26-stall barn and is the prototype Vasquez plans to use when he begins construction on the equestrian center at Paradise Harbor in about six weeks.
The center, he said, will also include riding rinks, a bathhouse and grooming stables. Residents, who are required by law to have at least 3 acres before they can keep a horse, could either board horses at the center or ride any of the 20 Paso Finos Vasquez plans to bring from Rancho de Sueños, he said.
Prices range from $107,000 for some interior 1.5-acre lots to more than $450,000 for a 5-acre lot on the water. As of Monday, the company, N.C. Lakefront Properties, had sold 102 waterfront lots and 23 interior lots, said sales manager Cathy Crisp.
Three months ago, Scott Nelson's family was the first to move into Paradise Harbor, and since then two more houses have been built and a fourth is nearly completed. For Nelson, the community's biggest draw was the lakefront property, he said.
But with two daughters, ages 5 and 13, Nelson said, the equestrian center might be something his girls would use. "We have family members that ride," he said. "It's a nice feature."
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
CONNELLY SPRINGS - Decades ago, when Oscar Vasquez was a boy living in El Salvador, he would play with the work horses on his grandfather's tiny farm.
Then, one day, the fair came through Vasquez's town.
"The people who had money would show off, and there was this guy who rode a black stallion," Vasquez said. "And I was just `whoa,' you know? He was such a beautiful animal."
Years later, that memory sparked the idea for a community on Lake Rhodhiss, a 320-lot development in Burke County called Paradise Harbor.
Vasquez said he envisions residents riding horses across the development's 873 acres, through wooded trails behind their homes and along the water.
Vasquez started developing the land, which curves along Lake Rhodhiss, in June 2004, and started selling lots about four months later. In November 2006, the first resident finished building his home and moved in.
"There's a need for that," Vasquez said. "There's a lot of people who want to have horses, and it seemed like a good way to market the property."
Vasquez, a 50-year-old former fisherman, has been developing properties across the Unifour for more than 15 years, starting with 10-acre developments and gradually moving to larger projects with hundreds of lots, some as big as 14 acres.
When Vasquez was 15, he moved from El Salvador to Texas and began working on a shrimp boat. Later, when he was living in Florida and fishing for scallops, Vasquez met a woman from Whitnel and soon began visiting her in Caldwell County.
The relationship didn't work out, but Vasquez liked the area, with its rolling mountains, and decided to move here and get his contractor's license.
In 2001, he decided to focus solely on waterfront properties and began developing land on Lake Hickory and Lake James.
The equestrian angle on Lake Rhodhiss, he said, was inspired by a lifelong attraction to horses and the 40 mares and stallion Paso Finos he keeps at his private Caldwell County farm, Rancho de Sueños, or "Ranch of Dreams."
"I worked very hard for a few years, and then I saw a Paso Fino, and it reminded me of the horse I saw at the fair," he said. "I found what I was looking for."
The Caldwell County ranch, which he bought about 10 years ago, features a two-story clubhouse and a 26-stall barn and is the prototype Vasquez plans to use when he begins construction on the equestrian center at Paradise Harbor in about six weeks.
The center, he said, will also include riding rinks, a bathhouse and grooming stables. Residents, who are required by law to have at least 3 acres before they can keep a horse, could either board horses at the center or ride any of the 20 Paso Finos Vasquez plans to bring from Rancho de Sueños, he said.
Prices range from $107,000 for some interior 1.5-acre lots to more than $450,000 for a 5-acre lot on the water. As of Monday, the company, N.C. Lakefront Properties, had sold 102 waterfront lots and 23 interior lots, said sales manager Cathy Crisp.
Three months ago, Scott Nelson's family was the first to move into Paradise Harbor, and since then two more houses have been built and a fourth is nearly completed. For Nelson, the community's biggest draw was the lakefront property, he said.
But with two daughters, ages 5 and 13, Nelson said, the equestrian center might be something his girls would use. "We have family members that ride," he said. "It's a nice feature."
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
2/7/07
Nearly 1,000 gather to honor Caldwell sheriff
Lenoir native died of cancer after 27-year law enforcement career
Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
BATON - Nearly 1,000 friends, family and colleagues gathered Tuesday morning to say goodbye to Sheriff Gary Clark, who was remembered for his wit and fierce loyalty to Caldwell County.
"My, did he love to laugh," childhood friend and UNC Chapel Hill Police Chief Derek Poarch said in his eulogy. "Mischievous and smart. What a combination."
Clark died Friday afternoon, three months after winning a second term and less than two months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was 47.
"Gary fought a good fight," said longtime friend the Rev. Roger Beck. "He was a man of deep convictions, unshakable courage and great vision. He was a champion of the law, and ... he loved the people of Caldwell County."
Clark, a Lenoir native and former Lenoir Police Department captain, worked in law enforcement for more than 27 years. A Republican, he was elected sheriff in 2002 and won a second term in November.
A month later, Clark was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which has few early symptoms, and was hospitalized two weeks ago. He died shortly after 1 p.m. Friday at Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory.
At Tuesday morning's funeral, the parking lots at Mountain Grove Baptist Church were filled with at least 60 vehicles from police departments and sheriff's offices. Hundreds of cars filled adjoining parking lots.
After the service, nine pallbearers, dressed in crisp Caldwell County Sheriff's Office uniforms, carried the coffin from the church to the hearse waiting outside.
Although Clark's administration was marked with controversy, including a 2002 vote-buying scandal led by a few renegade supporters and two 2006 investigations by the State Board of Elections, friends Tuesday remembered Clark's dedication to Caldwell County.
"The sheriff had two very contentious elections, both filled with hurtful and personal attacks," Poarch said. "In both situations, he always held his head high and moved forward because he was a man with principles and believed in what he was doing."
Clark is survived by his wife, Kim, and daughters Megan and Michelle. In lieu of flowers, a trust fund for his daughters has been established at the Bank of Granite.
Maj. Alan Jones, who is next in command at the Sheriff's Office, will fill the sheriff's role until county commissioners appoint a replacement.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
BATON - Nearly 1,000 friends, family and colleagues gathered Tuesday morning to say goodbye to Sheriff Gary Clark, who was remembered for his wit and fierce loyalty to Caldwell County.
"My, did he love to laugh," childhood friend and UNC Chapel Hill Police Chief Derek Poarch said in his eulogy. "Mischievous and smart. What a combination."
Clark died Friday afternoon, three months after winning a second term and less than two months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was 47.
"Gary fought a good fight," said longtime friend the Rev. Roger Beck. "He was a man of deep convictions, unshakable courage and great vision. He was a champion of the law, and ... he loved the people of Caldwell County."
Clark, a Lenoir native and former Lenoir Police Department captain, worked in law enforcement for more than 27 years. A Republican, he was elected sheriff in 2002 and won a second term in November.
A month later, Clark was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which has few early symptoms, and was hospitalized two weeks ago. He died shortly after 1 p.m. Friday at Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory.
At Tuesday morning's funeral, the parking lots at Mountain Grove Baptist Church were filled with at least 60 vehicles from police departments and sheriff's offices. Hundreds of cars filled adjoining parking lots.
After the service, nine pallbearers, dressed in crisp Caldwell County Sheriff's Office uniforms, carried the coffin from the church to the hearse waiting outside.
Although Clark's administration was marked with controversy, including a 2002 vote-buying scandal led by a few renegade supporters and two 2006 investigations by the State Board of Elections, friends Tuesday remembered Clark's dedication to Caldwell County.
"The sheriff had two very contentious elections, both filled with hurtful and personal attacks," Poarch said. "In both situations, he always held his head high and moved forward because he was a man with principles and believed in what he was doing."
Clark is survived by his wife, Kim, and daughters Megan and Michelle. In lieu of flowers, a trust fund for his daughters has been established at the Bank of Granite.
Maj. Alan Jones, who is next in command at the Sheriff's Office, will fill the sheriff's role until county commissioners appoint a replacement.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
2/6/07
Driver faces DWI charge in wreck that left his brother dead
Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Conover man is facing an impaired-driving charge for a wreck that killed his brother Sunday evening.
Sean Vandinter, 28, was charged with driving while impaired Sunday after his 1987 Honda Accord swerved into oncoming traffic in southeast Hickory and collided with a 1999 Toyota 4Runner, which hit another vehicle, said Hickory police Lt. Gary Lee.
Vandinter's brother, 23-year-old Ernest O'Shields, was sitting in the Honda's front passenger seat and died at the scene. Another passenger in the Honda and the drivers of the other vehicles were not seriously injured.
Vandinter was in stable condition at Catawba Valley Medical Center Monday afternoon, said Hickory police Capt. Clyde Deal. Deal said authorities will consider other charges once they complete their investigation of Sunday's crash.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Conover man is facing an impaired-driving charge for a wreck that killed his brother Sunday evening.
Sean Vandinter, 28, was charged with driving while impaired Sunday after his 1987 Honda Accord swerved into oncoming traffic in southeast Hickory and collided with a 1999 Toyota 4Runner, which hit another vehicle, said Hickory police Lt. Gary Lee.
Vandinter's brother, 23-year-old Ernest O'Shields, was sitting in the Honda's front passenger seat and died at the scene. Another passenger in the Honda and the drivers of the other vehicles were not seriously injured.
Vandinter was in stable condition at Catawba Valley Medical Center Monday afternoon, said Hickory police Capt. Clyde Deal. Deal said authorities will consider other charges once they complete their investigation of Sunday's crash.
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2/3/07
Caldwell County sheriff loses fight with cancer
27-year lawman won re-election in Nov., diagnosed in Dec.
Saturday, Feb. 3, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
LENOIR - Caldwell County Sheriff Gary Clark died Friday afternoon, three months after winning a second term and less than two months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Clark, 47, died at Frye Regional Medical Center shortly after 1 p.m. Friday, said Sheriff's Office Capt. Chris Brackett.
"Caldwell County lost a leader today in a short but courageous fight," Brackett said.
Clark, a former Lenoir Police Department captain, worked in law enforcement for more than 27 years. He was elected sheriff in 2002 and won a second term in November.
A month later, Clark was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which has few early symptoms, and was hospitalized two weeks ago.
Maj. Alan Jones, who is next in command, will fill the sheriff's role until county commissioners appoint a replacement, according to N.C. law.
"He wanted us to continue to provide professional law enforcement to the county," Brackett said. "That's what we're going to do."
Brackett said the Sheriff's Office, which flew the state and American flags at half-staff Friday, has asked the public to pray for Clark and his family, including wife Kim and daughters Megan and Michelle.
"He was my friend before he was my boss," Brackett said.
Funeral arrangements had not been made Friday afternoon.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Saturday, Feb. 3, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
LENOIR - Caldwell County Sheriff Gary Clark died Friday afternoon, three months after winning a second term and less than two months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Clark, 47, died at Frye Regional Medical Center shortly after 1 p.m. Friday, said Sheriff's Office Capt. Chris Brackett.
"Caldwell County lost a leader today in a short but courageous fight," Brackett said.
Clark, a former Lenoir Police Department captain, worked in law enforcement for more than 27 years. He was elected sheriff in 2002 and won a second term in November.
A month later, Clark was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which has few early symptoms, and was hospitalized two weeks ago.
Maj. Alan Jones, who is next in command, will fill the sheriff's role until county commissioners appoint a replacement, according to N.C. law.
"He wanted us to continue to provide professional law enforcement to the county," Brackett said. "That's what we're going to do."
Brackett said the Sheriff's Office, which flew the state and American flags at half-staff Friday, has asked the public to pray for Clark and his family, including wife Kim and daughters Megan and Michelle.
"He was my friend before he was my boss," Brackett said.
Funeral arrangements had not been made Friday afternoon.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
2/1/07
`The Hill' survives in memories
Decades ago, Ridgeview was a thriving, bustling neighborhood
Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
HICKORY – Old photos show a red Coca-Cola sign hanging from the facade of the South Center Dinette, where teenagers in pressed slacks and starched shirts leaned against the diner's brick wall.
Women shopped for thick cuts of meat and fresh vegetables at local markets. Taxis owned by black businessmen drove along 12th and 13th streets, where dozens of other black-owned shops and offices catered to the community.
Those are the iconic images from the 1940s, 50s and early 60s that longtime Ridgeview residents remember of "the Hill."
Decades ago, Ridgeview was a thriving community with many names - Bob Town, Colored Town and Southside, said longtime resident and community historian Drucella Sudderth Hartsoe.
Because it sloped slightly upward from downtown Hickory, "the Hill" became the bustling neighborhood's best-known name.
In Ridgeview, residents say, black history is more than the civil rights movement or a month-long celebration each February.
Here, black history survives in memories of places like Horton's Cafe, The Spot Grocery, Ridgeview High School, and in old photographs and stories.
It lives on the corner of First Street and Fourth Avenue, where, in the 1950s, the Embassy Theater stood and beckoned hordes of children dressed in bandanas and oversized hats to Saturday screenings of the newest Western films.
"There were more cowboys than you could count on the Hill," recalled Hartsoe in her 2001 pictorial memoir of the community. "The kids would take an old worn out broom or a tree limb, which made a good horse by a cowboy."
Until the late 1960s, African Americans from as far as Morganton and Statesville traveled to this mile-wide and mile-long patch of southwest Hickory to visit the dentist, plan a funeral or grab a sandwich.
"All those places are gone," said 72-year-old Eloise Rose, who graduated from Ridgeview High School in 1952 and has worked as the community's library for 38 years.
"They had barber shops and pool halls, and a little soda shop," she said. "It was a fun place."
Blacks started to settle south of Hickory's train tracks in the 1870s, drawn to the area by railroad jobs. During segregation, the Hill supplied the new residents with just about everything they needed, while also serving as the region's African American hub.
But today, Ridgeview is a shadow of its old self, longtime residents say. The Embassy Theater and Horton's Cafe are long gone, while other buildings, such as the Talk of the Town club, sit empty.
Hartsoe's book, "The Hill: Memories of the Ridgeview Community," was published in 2001 is an anthology of the neighborhood.
It describes church gatherings, black business owners repairing shoes and high school students cheering and competing in basketball games in the high school gym.
"The place was packed," Hartsoe said. "Oh, the games were fun. They started selling sweaters with `Ridgeview' across the front and they had the big, black panther mascot on there."
Though Hartsoe recalls good memories from the Hill of the 1940s, '50s and early '60s, she said the dirt roads and rundown homes were a constant reminder that blacks in Hickory weren't treated equally.
"It was a pitiful sight. Little houses with no paint. No sidewalks," she said. "I would watch our kids walk to school in the mud."
In 1964, after reading an article about integration in Southern schools, Hartsoe decided to see if her youngest daughter, Mabel "Bunny" Sudderth, would be interested in attending Hickory High School.
Both blacks and white opposed the idea, Hartsoe said, but there was enough support that she and Bunny agreed that integrating Hickory High School would be worth the effort.
That fall, as an incoming freshman, Bunny became the school's first black student. In the months that followed, more black students began transferring from the Hill's high school to Hickory High.
"People got mad at me," Hartsoe said, "but then the next year everybody went."
Some residents believe that the community started to lose its vitality after Ridgeview High School closed in 1967. Integration, meant to help blacks achieve equality, led to the Hill's demise, they said, by giving blacks a choice of other places to shop or work.
In her book, Hartsoe describe modern-day Ridgeview as "a landscape of vacant lots." By her estimate, 128 of the community's homes and businesses were demolished from the 1950s to the 1980s.
The Hill was no more.
Rose said she treasures the memory of Saturday night dates with her high school boyfriend - dates that ultimately ended with swing dancing at Horton's Cafe on 12th Street.
"That was the favorite hangout," she said. "We'd go to the movies on Saturday afternoon and head over to Horton's Cafe and drink soda and have a sandwich. Then we'd dance."
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
HICKORY – Old photos show a red Coca-Cola sign hanging from the facade of the South Center Dinette, where teenagers in pressed slacks and starched shirts leaned against the diner's brick wall.
Women shopped for thick cuts of meat and fresh vegetables at local markets. Taxis owned by black businessmen drove along 12th and 13th streets, where dozens of other black-owned shops and offices catered to the community.
Those are the iconic images from the 1940s, 50s and early 60s that longtime Ridgeview residents remember of "the Hill."
Decades ago, Ridgeview was a thriving community with many names - Bob Town, Colored Town and Southside, said longtime resident and community historian Drucella Sudderth Hartsoe.
Because it sloped slightly upward from downtown Hickory, "the Hill" became the bustling neighborhood's best-known name.
In Ridgeview, residents say, black history is more than the civil rights movement or a month-long celebration each February.
Here, black history survives in memories of places like Horton's Cafe, The Spot Grocery, Ridgeview High School, and in old photographs and stories.
It lives on the corner of First Street and Fourth Avenue, where, in the 1950s, the Embassy Theater stood and beckoned hordes of children dressed in bandanas and oversized hats to Saturday screenings of the newest Western films.
"There were more cowboys than you could count on the Hill," recalled Hartsoe in her 2001 pictorial memoir of the community. "The kids would take an old worn out broom or a tree limb, which made a good horse by a cowboy."
Until the late 1960s, African Americans from as far as Morganton and Statesville traveled to this mile-wide and mile-long patch of southwest Hickory to visit the dentist, plan a funeral or grab a sandwich.
"All those places are gone," said 72-year-old Eloise Rose, who graduated from Ridgeview High School in 1952 and has worked as the community's library for 38 years.
"They had barber shops and pool halls, and a little soda shop," she said. "It was a fun place."
Blacks started to settle south of Hickory's train tracks in the 1870s, drawn to the area by railroad jobs. During segregation, the Hill supplied the new residents with just about everything they needed, while also serving as the region's African American hub.
But today, Ridgeview is a shadow of its old self, longtime residents say. The Embassy Theater and Horton's Cafe are long gone, while other buildings, such as the Talk of the Town club, sit empty.
Hartsoe's book, "The Hill: Memories of the Ridgeview Community," was published in 2001 is an anthology of the neighborhood.
It describes church gatherings, black business owners repairing shoes and high school students cheering and competing in basketball games in the high school gym.
"The place was packed," Hartsoe said. "Oh, the games were fun. They started selling sweaters with `Ridgeview' across the front and they had the big, black panther mascot on there."
Though Hartsoe recalls good memories from the Hill of the 1940s, '50s and early '60s, she said the dirt roads and rundown homes were a constant reminder that blacks in Hickory weren't treated equally.
"It was a pitiful sight. Little houses with no paint. No sidewalks," she said. "I would watch our kids walk to school in the mud."
In 1964, after reading an article about integration in Southern schools, Hartsoe decided to see if her youngest daughter, Mabel "Bunny" Sudderth, would be interested in attending Hickory High School.
Both blacks and white opposed the idea, Hartsoe said, but there was enough support that she and Bunny agreed that integrating Hickory High School would be worth the effort.
That fall, as an incoming freshman, Bunny became the school's first black student. In the months that followed, more black students began transferring from the Hill's high school to Hickory High.
"People got mad at me," Hartsoe said, "but then the next year everybody went."
Some residents believe that the community started to lose its vitality after Ridgeview High School closed in 1967. Integration, meant to help blacks achieve equality, led to the Hill's demise, they said, by giving blacks a choice of other places to shop or work.
In her book, Hartsoe describe modern-day Ridgeview as "a landscape of vacant lots." By her estimate, 128 of the community's homes and businesses were demolished from the 1950s to the 1980s.
The Hill was no more.
Rose said she treasures the memory of Saturday night dates with her high school boyfriend - dates that ultimately ended with swing dancing at Horton's Cafe on 12th Street.
"That was the favorite hangout," she said. "We'd go to the movies on Saturday afternoon and head over to Horton's Cafe and drink soda and have a sandwich. Then we'd dance."
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
1/31/07
Police: Gun found in student's car at East Burke High campus
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Authorities said they found a gun in the trunk of an East Burke High School student's car Tuesday and charged him with bringing a weapon onto campus.
Zachary Jay Barringer, 18, was charged by the Burke County Sheriff's Office with felony possession of a firearm on school property, said Sgt. Robert Beall.
Barringer, who Beall said participates in military re-enactments, allowed deputies to search his car, which was parked on school property Tuesday. During the search, Beall said, officers found a gun, two knives, assorted military manuals, a gas mask and a military helmet.
Beall said school resource officer Michael Hudson was told that a student was making threats but would not give details of the threats.
Barringer was released on bond Tuesday to his mother's custody. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance today.
Burke schools Superintendent David Burleson also said that a second student, whom he would not name, is being investigated for bringing a BB gun onto campus Tuesday morning. The gun was found in the student's car, Burleson said, after the school received a phone call from one of the student's neighbors.
Tuesdays incidents were not connected, Burleson said.
Both students could face a year's suspension.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Authorities said they found a gun in the trunk of an East Burke High School student's car Tuesday and charged him with bringing a weapon onto campus.
Zachary Jay Barringer, 18, was charged by the Burke County Sheriff's Office with felony possession of a firearm on school property, said Sgt. Robert Beall.
Barringer, who Beall said participates in military re-enactments, allowed deputies to search his car, which was parked on school property Tuesday. During the search, Beall said, officers found a gun, two knives, assorted military manuals, a gas mask and a military helmet.
Beall said school resource officer Michael Hudson was told that a student was making threats but would not give details of the threats.
Barringer was released on bond Tuesday to his mother's custody. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance today.
Burke schools Superintendent David Burleson also said that a second student, whom he would not name, is being investigated for bringing a BB gun onto campus Tuesday morning. The gun was found in the student's car, Burleson said, after the school received a phone call from one of the student's neighbors.
Tuesdays incidents were not connected, Burleson said.
Both students could face a year's suspension.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
1/30/07
Friend of family charged with molesting girl younger than 16
Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Conover man has been jailed on charges of taking indecent liberties with a child, according to the Catawba County Sheriff's Office.
Lewis Edward Green, 47, is charged with molesting a girl under 16 on Jan. 22, Maj. Coy Reid said, though he would not give the girl's age or details of the incident.
Green, a friend of the girl's family, was arrested Thursday and held in the Catawba County Jail with bond set at $75,000, Reid said. He is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 16.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Conover man has been jailed on charges of taking indecent liberties with a child, according to the Catawba County Sheriff's Office.
Lewis Edward Green, 47, is charged with molesting a girl under 16 on Jan. 22, Maj. Coy Reid said, though he would not give the girl's age or details of the incident.
Green, a friend of the girl's family, was arrested Thursday and held in the Catawba County Jail with bond set at $75,000, Reid said. He is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 16.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Woman accused of leaving kids in car while she went dancing
Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Morganton woman was charged with child abuse early Sunday after, authorities said, she left her sleeping children in a car while she went dancing at a Hickory club.
Georgina Marquez, 37, was charged with two counts of misdemeanor child abuse after Hickory police officers found her 10- and 12-year-old sons in a car parked outside Fantacia's dance club on U.S. 70.
About 1:30 a.m., officers were issuing parking tickets to cars illegally parked along the highway when they noticed the boys sleeping in the car, said Hickory police Sgt. Scott Hildebrand.
The boys told authorities that their mother left them in the car about 10:40 p.m. Saturday so she could take their 18-year-old sister dancing at the club, according to the police report.
Temperatures early Sunday morning were in the low 50s, and, according the police report, the boys were dressed in shorts and T-shirts when officers found them.
Police called the Department of Social Services, Hildebrand said, before the children were released to Marquez. Marquez was released on $2,000 bond and will make her first court appearance Feb. 14.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Morganton woman was charged with child abuse early Sunday after, authorities said, she left her sleeping children in a car while she went dancing at a Hickory club.
Georgina Marquez, 37, was charged with two counts of misdemeanor child abuse after Hickory police officers found her 10- and 12-year-old sons in a car parked outside Fantacia's dance club on U.S. 70.
About 1:30 a.m., officers were issuing parking tickets to cars illegally parked along the highway when they noticed the boys sleeping in the car, said Hickory police Sgt. Scott Hildebrand.
The boys told authorities that their mother left them in the car about 10:40 p.m. Saturday so she could take their 18-year-old sister dancing at the club, according to the police report.
Temperatures early Sunday morning were in the low 50s, and, according the police report, the boys were dressed in shorts and T-shirts when officers found them.
Police called the Department of Social Services, Hildebrand said, before the children were released to Marquez. Marquez was released on $2,000 bond and will make her first court appearance Feb. 14.
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No illness seen in prisoner who died
Woman seen sleeping, then did not respond less than an hour later
Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A woman who died in a Morganton jail on Saturday showed no sign of illness when she was admitted that day, authorities said Monday.
Catawba County Sheriff David Huffman said the woman, 28-year-old Heather Renae Fredell, was in her cell, "sleeping and snoring," shortly after 6 p.m. when deputies checked on her.
But during a check less than an hour later, Fredell was unresponsive, Huffman said. Jailers tried to revive Fredell before an ambulance took her to Grace Hospital in Morganton, where she was pronounced dead.
Fredell was argumentative after she was brought in to the jail, Huffman said, so she was locked in a single-person, padded cell, which is standard procedure with intoxicated inmates, he said.
Huffman said he does not have enough information to say whether Fredell was intoxicated and that officials are waiting on the results of a toxicology report. Huffman is chairman of the Burke-Catawba jail, which serves both counties.
Fredell was taken into custody Saturday afternoon at a flea market in Morganton on a warrant for failing to appear in Burke County courts, said Morganton Department of Public Safety Capt. Mark Bradshaw.
During the arrest, Bradshaw said, an officer found a knife in Fredell's purse and she was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, a misdemeanor.
Bradshaw said no force was used during the arrest and that the report did not indicate that Fredell had any visible medical problems.
Like all female suspects arrested in Burke and Catawba counties, Fredell was taken to the Burke-Catawba jail.
Fredell's death is the fourth death possibly connected to a jail run by the Catawba County sheriff in the past three years.
The State Bureau of Investigation is reviewing the case, Huffman said.
More than 12,000 inmates in local, state and federal jails and prisons died while in custody between 2001 and 2004, according to a study released by the Department of Justice.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A woman who died in a Morganton jail on Saturday showed no sign of illness when she was admitted that day, authorities said Monday.
Catawba County Sheriff David Huffman said the woman, 28-year-old Heather Renae Fredell, was in her cell, "sleeping and snoring," shortly after 6 p.m. when deputies checked on her.
But during a check less than an hour later, Fredell was unresponsive, Huffman said. Jailers tried to revive Fredell before an ambulance took her to Grace Hospital in Morganton, where she was pronounced dead.
Fredell was argumentative after she was brought in to the jail, Huffman said, so she was locked in a single-person, padded cell, which is standard procedure with intoxicated inmates, he said.
Huffman said he does not have enough information to say whether Fredell was intoxicated and that officials are waiting on the results of a toxicology report. Huffman is chairman of the Burke-Catawba jail, which serves both counties.
Fredell was taken into custody Saturday afternoon at a flea market in Morganton on a warrant for failing to appear in Burke County courts, said Morganton Department of Public Safety Capt. Mark Bradshaw.
During the arrest, Bradshaw said, an officer found a knife in Fredell's purse and she was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, a misdemeanor.
Bradshaw said no force was used during the arrest and that the report did not indicate that Fredell had any visible medical problems.
Like all female suspects arrested in Burke and Catawba counties, Fredell was taken to the Burke-Catawba jail.
Fredell's death is the fourth death possibly connected to a jail run by the Catawba County sheriff in the past three years.
The State Bureau of Investigation is reviewing the case, Huffman said.
More than 12,000 inmates in local, state and federal jails and prisons died while in custody between 2001 and 2004, according to a study released by the Department of Justice.
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1/27/07
Newton attorney appointed by Easley to District Court
Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Gov. Mike Easley has appointed a Newton attorney to the District Court bench in the state's 25th Judicial District, which comprises Burke, Caldwell and Catawba counties.
John Harper Cilley IV of Newton, a partner at Isenhower, Wood & Cilley since 1991, has practiced law since graduating from Wake Forest University's law school in 1985. He fills a judicial seat created by the General Assembly in 2006 and is the district's ninth judge.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Gov. Mike Easley has appointed a Newton attorney to the District Court bench in the state's 25th Judicial District, which comprises Burke, Caldwell and Catawba counties.
John Harper Cilley IV of Newton, a partner at Isenhower, Wood & Cilley since 1991, has practiced law since graduating from Wake Forest University's law school in 1985. He fills a judicial seat created by the General Assembly in 2006 and is the district's ninth judge.
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Sheriff in hospital with cancer, family says; prognosis not good
Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Less than three months after winning a second term, Caldwell County's sheriff has been hospitalized due to complications from recently diagnosed pancreatic cancer, family said Friday.
Gary Clark, who was elected sheriff in 2002 and won a second term in November, was being treated Friday in the intensive care unit at Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory, hospital officials said.
Family member Monte Zepeda said he is not sure how long doctors have given Clark to live but said the cancer is terminal. "I'm afraid it won't be long," he said Friday.
If Clark dies, Maj. Allen Jones, who's next in command, would fill the sheriff's role until county commissioners appoint a replacement, according to N.C. law.
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By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Less than three months after winning a second term, Caldwell County's sheriff has been hospitalized due to complications from recently diagnosed pancreatic cancer, family said Friday.
Gary Clark, who was elected sheriff in 2002 and won a second term in November, was being treated Friday in the intensive care unit at Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory, hospital officials said.
Family member Monte Zepeda said he is not sure how long doctors have given Clark to live but said the cancer is terminal. "I'm afraid it won't be long," he said Friday.
If Clark dies, Maj. Allen Jones, who's next in command, would fill the sheriff's role until county commissioners appoint a replacement, according to N.C. law.
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1/25/07
Health facility is Burke’s top priority
County commissioners’ goal-setting retreat yields list of 22 projects they’d like to see completed in next fiscal year
Thursday, Jan. 25, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
MORGANTON – An allied health facility in Burke County topped the list of priorities set this week when commissioners met to discuss goals for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.
Burke County commissioners met for their annual retreat Monday evening, and compiled a list of 22 projects they'd like to see completed in the coming year.
Commissioners, in large part, agreed that completing renovations to the allied health facility, a self-contained health-education school that would offer a four-year nursing degree program and other health-care training, was the top priority.
"It's a way to keep the best and the brightest in the county," said Chairman Wayne Abele.
The facility will be located in the Doblin building, a former textile plant off Interstate 40.
Other top priorities included building an emergency services training complex; reforming the current emergency medical services system; assessing security, space and personnel issues in the jail and courthouse; updating the county's personnel ordinance; creating a park in Glen Alpine; selling water bonds to help provide residents better access to water; and setting a property-tax rate based on the revaluation and budget.
"(We need) to set a tax rate that is believable, fair and acceptable to the taxpayer," said commissioner Maynard Taylor.
Other issues that made the list included brokering an agreement with Morganton about the ownership of the history museum, looking at county sewer services, the development of an industrial park, completing the Lake James project, improving technology services, developing a vehicle replacement schedule and increasing communication among county department heads.
Some of the priorities listed by commissioners Monday night, Abele said, are projects already under way and likely to be completed within the year. Others, he said, are still in the inception phases and could take longer.
"I'm pleased with what we've done tonight," said County Manager Ron Lewis. "This is a new beginning." For the first time, the retreat was guided by a facilitator - Morganton attorney, Tammy Wilcox of Alternate Solutions LLC.
Wilcox joined the session, she said, to moderate the conversation and give each commissioner "an equal voice" in setting goals.
"It's more empowering than overpowering," Wilcox told commissioners Monday. "It's not the time to persuade."
While commissioners discussed each proposal, Wilcox encouraged the board to avoid debating the merits of each issue and, instead, to focus on the county's top priorities.
"These are broad strokes," she said, "but they are excellent."
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Thursday, Jan. 25, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
MORGANTON – An allied health facility in Burke County topped the list of priorities set this week when commissioners met to discuss goals for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.
Burke County commissioners met for their annual retreat Monday evening, and compiled a list of 22 projects they'd like to see completed in the coming year.
Commissioners, in large part, agreed that completing renovations to the allied health facility, a self-contained health-education school that would offer a four-year nursing degree program and other health-care training, was the top priority.
"It's a way to keep the best and the brightest in the county," said Chairman Wayne Abele.
The facility will be located in the Doblin building, a former textile plant off Interstate 40.
Other top priorities included building an emergency services training complex; reforming the current emergency medical services system; assessing security, space and personnel issues in the jail and courthouse; updating the county's personnel ordinance; creating a park in Glen Alpine; selling water bonds to help provide residents better access to water; and setting a property-tax rate based on the revaluation and budget.
"(We need) to set a tax rate that is believable, fair and acceptable to the taxpayer," said commissioner Maynard Taylor.
Other issues that made the list included brokering an agreement with Morganton about the ownership of the history museum, looking at county sewer services, the development of an industrial park, completing the Lake James project, improving technology services, developing a vehicle replacement schedule and increasing communication among county department heads.
Some of the priorities listed by commissioners Monday night, Abele said, are projects already under way and likely to be completed within the year. Others, he said, are still in the inception phases and could take longer.
"I'm pleased with what we've done tonight," said County Manager Ron Lewis. "This is a new beginning." For the first time, the retreat was guided by a facilitator - Morganton attorney, Tammy Wilcox of Alternate Solutions LLC.
Wilcox joined the session, she said, to moderate the conversation and give each commissioner "an equal voice" in setting goals.
"It's more empowering than overpowering," Wilcox told commissioners Monday. "It's not the time to persuade."
While commissioners discussed each proposal, Wilcox encouraged the board to avoid debating the merits of each issue and, instead, to focus on the county's top priorities.
"These are broad strokes," she said, "but they are excellent."
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1/23/07
Woman charged with DWI in accident where boyfriend died
Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
CLAREMONT – A Claremont woman was charged with driving while intoxicated and reckless driving after her SUV flipped early Sunday, killing her boyfriend, authorities said.
Lisa Marie Carroll, 39, and Thomas Demus Dillard, 33, also of Claremont, had been out in Caldwell County drinking Saturday night and ended up arguing on Hollow Springs Circle, off N.C. 18 near the Wilkes County line, N.C. Highway Patrol Trooper T.C. Williams said.
Dillard was either running alongside Carroll's 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe or standing on the step board when, about 3:15 a.m. Sunday, Carroll swerved and hit an embankment, Williams said. The Tahoe flipped, crushing Dillard.
Dillard died at the scene, Williams said. Carroll was treated at Caldwell Memorial Hospital for minor injuries and released. She may face additional charges, Williams said.
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By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
CLAREMONT – A Claremont woman was charged with driving while intoxicated and reckless driving after her SUV flipped early Sunday, killing her boyfriend, authorities said.
Lisa Marie Carroll, 39, and Thomas Demus Dillard, 33, also of Claremont, had been out in Caldwell County drinking Saturday night and ended up arguing on Hollow Springs Circle, off N.C. 18 near the Wilkes County line, N.C. Highway Patrol Trooper T.C. Williams said.
Dillard was either running alongside Carroll's 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe or standing on the step board when, about 3:15 a.m. Sunday, Carroll swerved and hit an embankment, Williams said. The Tahoe flipped, crushing Dillard.
Dillard died at the scene, Williams said. Carroll was treated at Caldwell Memorial Hospital for minor injuries and released. She may face additional charges, Williams said.
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11-year-old may face charges in shooting of 3-year-old friend
Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
TAYLORSVILLE – An 11-year-old boy who shot a friend in Taylorsville last week may face assault charges, pending an investigation by the Department of Juvenile Justice, authorities said.
Alexander County Sheriff Hayden Bentley said Monday that his office recommended that the Department of Juvenile Justice and the District Attorney's Office consider charging the boy, who authorities say shot 3-year-old Jesse Miller on Jan. 15.
"We're not saying it wasn't accidental," Bentley said, "but there's a lot of factors we think the court needs to look at."
The 11-year-old, whom authorities have not named, could be charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, Bentley said.
Miller was shot in the chin while playing in his backyard with the children of his mother's boyfriend, authorities said. Miller was treated at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte and released last week.
The 11-year-old's father, 43-year-old Bill Blankenship, was charged with failing to secure a firearm and several drug charges after deputies searched the home.
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By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
TAYLORSVILLE – An 11-year-old boy who shot a friend in Taylorsville last week may face assault charges, pending an investigation by the Department of Juvenile Justice, authorities said.
Alexander County Sheriff Hayden Bentley said Monday that his office recommended that the Department of Juvenile Justice and the District Attorney's Office consider charging the boy, who authorities say shot 3-year-old Jesse Miller on Jan. 15.
"We're not saying it wasn't accidental," Bentley said, "but there's a lot of factors we think the court needs to look at."
The 11-year-old, whom authorities have not named, could be charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, Bentley said.
Miller was shot in the chin while playing in his backyard with the children of his mother's boyfriend, authorities said. Miller was treated at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte and released last week.
The 11-year-old's father, 43-year-old Bill Blankenship, was charged with failing to secure a firearm and several drug charges after deputies searched the home.
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1/19/07
New location ordered for husband’s killing trial
Man charges n 2005 slaying of wife; Lawyers cite media attention
Friday, Jan. 19, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
LENOIR – A Caldwell County judge Thursday agreed to move the trial of a Sawmills man charged with killing his wife last winter and stuffing her body in the toolbox of her pickup truck.
Attorneys for Jerry Anderson, who was charged with first-degree murder in the 2005 slaying of his wife, Emily, argued in Caldwell County Superior Court on Thursday that extensive media attention of the case would make picking an impartial jury impossible.
"This is a community where word of mouth still matters," said Lisa Dubs, Anderson's Hickory-based attorney. "There is such an attitude of prejudice that it has affected the (whole) community."
Judge David Cayer granted the request for a change of venue after six hours of testimony and argument. Anderson's attorneys called eight witnesses.
Cayer, the prosecution and defense attorneys will discuss possible locations for the trial today.
Dubs and co-counsel Robert Campbell argued that too many people know intricate details of the case, which they say has received ample media attention, making it difficult for Anderson to receive a fair trial in Caldwell County or the Unifour region.
They presented more than 50 articles and clips from local television stations and newspapers, saying that photos of Anderson in his jail uniform and handcuffs makes him appear guilty before the trial has begun.
Three Caldwell County attorneys, who have tried dozens of first-degree murder trials, testified that they did not believe that Anderson would receive a fair trial in the county and that this case has received far more media attention than other cases in Caldwell County.
"People already know what the state's case is, and people are going to come in here and wonder if Jerry Anderson can prove them wrong," Dubs said, citing statements that investigators from the Sheriff's Office made about details of the crime.
Assistant District Attorney Eric Bellas asked that Cayer deny the motion, saying that Anderson's attorneys had not shown how the case would suffer if tried in Caldwell County.
"The defense has simply failed at showing there is a great prejudice against this defendant," he said in his closing remarks.
On Dec. 29, 2005, 49-year-old Emily Anderson disappeared from the Sawmills farm she operated with her husband, and her body was found 10 days later in an S.C. restaurant parking lot about 100 miles from Caldwell County.
She had been shot twice, and her body was crammed into the large tool compartment of her Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck.
The trial is tentatively scheduled to begin in May.
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Friday, Jan. 19, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
LENOIR – A Caldwell County judge Thursday agreed to move the trial of a Sawmills man charged with killing his wife last winter and stuffing her body in the toolbox of her pickup truck.
Attorneys for Jerry Anderson, who was charged with first-degree murder in the 2005 slaying of his wife, Emily, argued in Caldwell County Superior Court on Thursday that extensive media attention of the case would make picking an impartial jury impossible.
"This is a community where word of mouth still matters," said Lisa Dubs, Anderson's Hickory-based attorney. "There is such an attitude of prejudice that it has affected the (whole) community."
Judge David Cayer granted the request for a change of venue after six hours of testimony and argument. Anderson's attorneys called eight witnesses.
Cayer, the prosecution and defense attorneys will discuss possible locations for the trial today.
Dubs and co-counsel Robert Campbell argued that too many people know intricate details of the case, which they say has received ample media attention, making it difficult for Anderson to receive a fair trial in Caldwell County or the Unifour region.
They presented more than 50 articles and clips from local television stations and newspapers, saying that photos of Anderson in his jail uniform and handcuffs makes him appear guilty before the trial has begun.
Three Caldwell County attorneys, who have tried dozens of first-degree murder trials, testified that they did not believe that Anderson would receive a fair trial in the county and that this case has received far more media attention than other cases in Caldwell County.
"People already know what the state's case is, and people are going to come in here and wonder if Jerry Anderson can prove them wrong," Dubs said, citing statements that investigators from the Sheriff's Office made about details of the crime.
Assistant District Attorney Eric Bellas asked that Cayer deny the motion, saying that Anderson's attorneys had not shown how the case would suffer if tried in Caldwell County.
"The defense has simply failed at showing there is a great prejudice against this defendant," he said in his closing remarks.
On Dec. 29, 2005, 49-year-old Emily Anderson disappeared from the Sawmills farm she operated with her husband, and her body was found 10 days later in an S.C. restaurant parking lot about 100 miles from Caldwell County.
She had been shot twice, and her body was crammed into the large tool compartment of her Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck.
The trial is tentatively scheduled to begin in May.
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1/18/07
County vows action on jail’s needs
Inmates’ attack on deputies prompts call for increased staffing, security at Morganton facility
Thursday, Jan. 18, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
MORGANTON – Burke County commissioners vowed this week to make changes in the downtown jail, following a recent escape when three inmates attacked, handcuffed and severely beat the two deputies on duty.
Sheriff John McDevitt and more than 25 deputies, investigators, lieutenants and sergeants sat through a two-hour meeting to hear what commissioners would say about increasing staffing and security at the nearly 31-year-old jail.
"I want to reassure the sheriff's department that we're working on this issue already," Chairman Wayne Abele said at Tuesday night's meeting. "I promise you that something will come of this at our next meeting."
That's good news for McDevitt, who said the jail's list of needs is long. The top concerns, he said, include staffing shortages and the need for working security cameras, new doors, an updated key system and a smoke ventilation system.
"Hopefully, they'll see some of the issues," he said. "We've got to do something."
The No. 1 priority, McDevitt said, is to increase staffing in the 66-bed jail to a minimum of three guards per shift. The move, he said, would require the county to approve funding and hire four new jailers.
"Every year, for the past eight years, I've asked for an additional jailer per shift," McDevitt said last week, "and I haven't gotten a single jailer position yet."
Until commissioners approve a staff increase, McDevitt said, he has brought additional deputies into the jail by recruiting volunteers for overtime shifts.
Abele and Vice Chairman Jack Carroll toured the jail Monday and have been meeting with McDevitt about increasing staffing and security.
"We have to correct the deficiencies in the jail," Abele said. "(The attack) was an awful thing, but it really brought our attention to this."
Abele said Tuesday that he expects that commissioners will vote to add at least two more deputies to the jail, bringing the nighttime shifts up to three guards.
Carroll said he plans to visit a newer facility in Tennessee to get ideas about how to improve the situation in Morganton.
On Jan. 11, three men escaped from the jail while a deputy was administering medication. McDevitt said the men severely beat jailers Dean Miller and Jonathan Earp and handcuffed them to cells before stealing and fleeing in a deputy's personal vehicle.
Miller and Earp were treated and released from Grace Hospital on Jan. 11.
The men were arrested about six hours later when Concord police saw the car cruising through a hospital parking lot.
Bryant Burgess, 22, Larry Harbison, 33, and Matthew Pierce, 18, were charged with misdemeanor escape and an array of felony charges.
The men were returned to the Burke County jail last week and were being held in isolation cells Wednesday.
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1/16/07
Child, 3, shot in chin
Boy expected to survive; Adult charged with failure to secure firearm
Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007
By Marcie Young and Kytja Weir
Charlotte Observer Staff Writers
TAYLORSVILLE – A 3-year-old boy was shot in the chin Monday evening, apparently when an 11-year-old fired a handgun as they played in their backyard just north of Taylorsville, authorities said.
The child is expected to survive his injury from the .22 caliber round.
The 11-year-old's father was charged with failing to secure a firearm, plus several drug charges after deputies searched the home.
The shooting occurred about 5:15 p.m. in a wooded yard of a home on Clearview Lane, according to Alexander County Sheriff Hayden Bentley. That's about 65 miles northwest of uptown Charlotte.
Robert Jesse Miller, 3, was outside with the 11- and 5-year-old children of his mother's live-in boyfriend, the sheriff said. Authorities did not release those children's names.
The boyfriend, Bill Blankenship, 43, had been with the children earlier, authorities said, helping clear a campsite about 75 yards from the house. They also may have been firing rounds for target practice, they said.
But Blankenship went inside for a few minutes, the sheriff said.
When he came outside again Robert had walked about 60 feet toward him, with a gunshot wound to his chin. Blankenship scooped the boy up and got help, Bentley said.
Robert was taken to Catawba Valley Medical Center, then airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte where his mother was by his side. He was conscious and listed in fair but stable condition Monday night.
The 11-year-old likely will not be charged because authorities believe the shooting was an accident.
Blankenship, his shirt splattered with blood, declined to comment as he walked to the magistrate's office Monday night to answer the initial gun charge. Later, authorities searched the home looking for additional weapons and found several pounds of marijuana, said Chief Deputy Chris Bowman.
Bowman said late Monday that his office planned to also charge Blankenship with felony possession of marijuana, maintaining a dwelling to keep a controlled substance, possession with intent to sell or distribute and possession of a firearm as a felon.
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Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007
By Marcie Young and Kytja Weir
Charlotte Observer Staff Writers
TAYLORSVILLE – A 3-year-old boy was shot in the chin Monday evening, apparently when an 11-year-old fired a handgun as they played in their backyard just north of Taylorsville, authorities said.
The child is expected to survive his injury from the .22 caliber round.
The 11-year-old's father was charged with failing to secure a firearm, plus several drug charges after deputies searched the home.
The shooting occurred about 5:15 p.m. in a wooded yard of a home on Clearview Lane, according to Alexander County Sheriff Hayden Bentley. That's about 65 miles northwest of uptown Charlotte.
Robert Jesse Miller, 3, was outside with the 11- and 5-year-old children of his mother's live-in boyfriend, the sheriff said. Authorities did not release those children's names.
The boyfriend, Bill Blankenship, 43, had been with the children earlier, authorities said, helping clear a campsite about 75 yards from the house. They also may have been firing rounds for target practice, they said.
But Blankenship went inside for a few minutes, the sheriff said.
When he came outside again Robert had walked about 60 feet toward him, with a gunshot wound to his chin. Blankenship scooped the boy up and got help, Bentley said.
Robert was taken to Catawba Valley Medical Center, then airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte where his mother was by his side. He was conscious and listed in fair but stable condition Monday night.
The 11-year-old likely will not be charged because authorities believe the shooting was an accident.
Blankenship, his shirt splattered with blood, declined to comment as he walked to the magistrate's office Monday night to answer the initial gun charge. Later, authorities searched the home looking for additional weapons and found several pounds of marijuana, said Chief Deputy Chris Bowman.
Bowman said late Monday that his office planned to also charge Blankenship with felony possession of marijuana, maintaining a dwelling to keep a controlled substance, possession with intent to sell or distribute and possession of a firearm as a felon.
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1/13/07
Suspects awaiting trial face new charges
2 arrests follow separate break-in, robbery; Police looking for 3rd man
Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Three Catawba County men who were awaiting trial in a 2006 murder face an array of new charges after a separate larceny and attempted robbery on the same street in Lincolnton on Wednesday.
Rodney Davon Duncan, 19, of Maiden was charged in the theft of two guns from a Lincolnton police officer's home, and 17-year-old Gadarious Dermont Dorsey and 19-year-old Tristan Lawing, both of Newton, were charged in an unrelated attempted armed robbery.
All three men had previously been charged in the 2006 murder of a Catawba County man who authorities said was killed because he provided police with information on a drug deal.
Here's what happened Wednesday in Lincolnton:
At about 2:30 p.m., officer William Vaughn left his Newbold Street home to pick up his child from school, said Dean Abernathy, Lincolnton police chief.
When Vaughn returned about 15 minutes later, he noticed that the side entrance had been in kicked in and that his service revolver and another handgun were missing, Abernathy said.
Officers spotted three men nearby and charged Duncan, 25-year-old Maurice Gillespie and 16-year-old Grady Wilson, both of Lincolnton, with breaking and entering and larceny.
Around 10 p.m. Wednesday, three men in a 1993 Jeep Cherokee pointed a gun at a man walking on Newbold Street and demanded money, Abernathy said.
The man told officers he ran away from the car and heard a shot fired behind him, Abernathy said. Officers spotted the vehicle a few minutes later, and when they tried to pull it over, the car sped off, Abernathy said.
Three men jumped out of the still-running Jeep and sprinted, Abernathy said. Officers were able to catch two of them.
Tristan Lawing, 19, of Newton and 22-year-old Michael Byrne of Maiden were charged with attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon. Authorities were still looking for Dorsey on Friday.
In April 2006, Duncan, Lawing, Dorsey and two other men were charged by Catawba County authorities with murder in the March shooting of Spence Chislom.
Duncan and Lawing were being held Friday at the Harven Crouse Detention Center in Lincolnton, Abernathy said. Duncan was being held on a $50,000 secured bond, Lawing on a $75,000 secured bond.
The District Attorney's Office is planning to ask that the bonds be revoked, said Chief Assistant District Attorney Eric Bellas.
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Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Three Catawba County men who were awaiting trial in a 2006 murder face an array of new charges after a separate larceny and attempted robbery on the same street in Lincolnton on Wednesday.
Rodney Davon Duncan, 19, of Maiden was charged in the theft of two guns from a Lincolnton police officer's home, and 17-year-old Gadarious Dermont Dorsey and 19-year-old Tristan Lawing, both of Newton, were charged in an unrelated attempted armed robbery.
All three men had previously been charged in the 2006 murder of a Catawba County man who authorities said was killed because he provided police with information on a drug deal.
Here's what happened Wednesday in Lincolnton:
At about 2:30 p.m., officer William Vaughn left his Newbold Street home to pick up his child from school, said Dean Abernathy, Lincolnton police chief.
When Vaughn returned about 15 minutes later, he noticed that the side entrance had been in kicked in and that his service revolver and another handgun were missing, Abernathy said.
Officers spotted three men nearby and charged Duncan, 25-year-old Maurice Gillespie and 16-year-old Grady Wilson, both of Lincolnton, with breaking and entering and larceny.
Around 10 p.m. Wednesday, three men in a 1993 Jeep Cherokee pointed a gun at a man walking on Newbold Street and demanded money, Abernathy said.
The man told officers he ran away from the car and heard a shot fired behind him, Abernathy said. Officers spotted the vehicle a few minutes later, and when they tried to pull it over, the car sped off, Abernathy said.
Three men jumped out of the still-running Jeep and sprinted, Abernathy said. Officers were able to catch two of them.
Tristan Lawing, 19, of Newton and 22-year-old Michael Byrne of Maiden were charged with attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon. Authorities were still looking for Dorsey on Friday.
In April 2006, Duncan, Lawing, Dorsey and two other men were charged by Catawba County authorities with murder in the March shooting of Spence Chislom.
Duncan and Lawing were being held Friday at the Harven Crouse Detention Center in Lincolnton, Abernathy said. Duncan was being held on a $50,000 secured bond, Lawing on a $75,000 secured bond.
The District Attorney's Office is planning to ask that the bonds be revoked, said Chief Assistant District Attorney Eric Bellas.
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1/12/07
Staffing blamed in Burke jailbreak
3 men arrested hours after violent escape
Friday, Jan. 12, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
MORGANTON – Low staffing and poor handling of keys at a Morganton jail may have contributed to an escape Wednesday night that left two guards severely beaten and handcuffed, authorities said.
The escape by three Morganton men, authorities said, raises serious questions about security and staffing at the 66-bed jail in Burke County, about 70 miles northwest of Charlotte.
Burke County Sheriff John McDevitt said the escape might have been prevented if the jail had a larger staff. Two jailers were guarding 64 prisoners, he said.
Another contributing factor might have been how a jailer handled his keys, allowing the inmates to take them and easily exit through a series of locked doors, said John Harkins, the state's chief jail inspector.
Bryant Burgess, 22, Larry Harbison, 33, and Matthew Pierce, 18, were charged with misdemeanor escape and an array of felony charges, including assault inflicting serious injury to a government official, kidnapping, vehicle theft and robbery with a dangerous weapon.
Jailer Dean Miller was distributing medication late Wednesday night when the three men grabbed him, choked him with the metal cord of a nearby pay phone and handcuffed him, McDevitt said.
He didn't know whether Miller opened the cell or if inmates grabbed him through the bars.
McDevitt said the men took Miller's keys, sprayed him with pepper spray and beat him repeatedly with a flashlight and baton before unlocking four doors that lead to a control room, where a second guard, Jonathan Earp, was working.
"He thought it was the other jailer coming back," McDevitt said. "(Earp) heard the back door open and walked out of the control room. That's when he was tackled."
Two of the inmates handcuffed and beat Earp, McDevitt said, while the third went into the control room and unlocked a door to the outside. The guards were treated at Grace Hospital in Morganton and released Thursday.
The men fled in a jailer's Ford Mustang and were arrested about 6 a.m., when Concord police saw the car cruising through a hospital parking lot.
Authorities were not sure why the men had driven to Concord.
The men were charged with possession of a stolen vehicle by Concord police and were taken back to Burke County.
McDevitt said having additional staff might have helped prevent the escape. "Every year, for the past eight years, I've asked for an additional jailer per shift," McDevitt said, "and I haven't gotten a single jailer position yet."
But Burke County commissioner Maynard Taylor, who was elected six years ago, said the county has been generous with the Sheriff's Office in recent years, approving funds for new vehicles, pay raises and a deputy for McDevitt to use at the jail or in the courts.
"You can build jails with cells made out of gold, and they'd still be wanting something," Taylor said.
Regardless of how many guards were on duty Wednesday, Harkins said, no jailer should carry keys when interacting with inmates. "(Jailers) will have to come in contact with inmates," he said, "but they should never have keys on them that would allow an inmate to exit the jail."
McDevitt said it's impossible for guards at his jail to maneuver through the hallways of the 30-year-old jail without keys.
Unlike more modern facilities, McDevitt said, the doors do not automatically lock, so deputies must carry keys to move from room to room.
The Burke County jail has a history of security lapses. In July 1999, an inspector noted that the door wasn't kept locked, a safety hazard should inmates riot or attempt to escape. More recently, in January and August 2006, inspectors reported the same problem but imposed no penalties and took no further action, Harkins said.
Harkins said an initial investigation by the N.C. Division of Facility Services shows the control room was locked Wednesday night. The State Bureau of Investigation is also looking into the incident.
Before Wednesday's escape, Burgess was being held on armed robbery charges; Harbison for breaking and entering; and Pierce for probation violation and credit card theft.
All three men were being held in separate cells Thursday at the Burke County jail.
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Friday, Jan. 12, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
MORGANTON – Low staffing and poor handling of keys at a Morganton jail may have contributed to an escape Wednesday night that left two guards severely beaten and handcuffed, authorities said.
The escape by three Morganton men, authorities said, raises serious questions about security and staffing at the 66-bed jail in Burke County, about 70 miles northwest of Charlotte.
Burke County Sheriff John McDevitt said the escape might have been prevented if the jail had a larger staff. Two jailers were guarding 64 prisoners, he said.
Another contributing factor might have been how a jailer handled his keys, allowing the inmates to take them and easily exit through a series of locked doors, said John Harkins, the state's chief jail inspector.
Bryant Burgess, 22, Larry Harbison, 33, and Matthew Pierce, 18, were charged with misdemeanor escape and an array of felony charges, including assault inflicting serious injury to a government official, kidnapping, vehicle theft and robbery with a dangerous weapon.
Jailer Dean Miller was distributing medication late Wednesday night when the three men grabbed him, choked him with the metal cord of a nearby pay phone and handcuffed him, McDevitt said.
He didn't know whether Miller opened the cell or if inmates grabbed him through the bars.
McDevitt said the men took Miller's keys, sprayed him with pepper spray and beat him repeatedly with a flashlight and baton before unlocking four doors that lead to a control room, where a second guard, Jonathan Earp, was working.
"He thought it was the other jailer coming back," McDevitt said. "(Earp) heard the back door open and walked out of the control room. That's when he was tackled."
Two of the inmates handcuffed and beat Earp, McDevitt said, while the third went into the control room and unlocked a door to the outside. The guards were treated at Grace Hospital in Morganton and released Thursday.
The men fled in a jailer's Ford Mustang and were arrested about 6 a.m., when Concord police saw the car cruising through a hospital parking lot.
Authorities were not sure why the men had driven to Concord.
The men were charged with possession of a stolen vehicle by Concord police and were taken back to Burke County.
McDevitt said having additional staff might have helped prevent the escape. "Every year, for the past eight years, I've asked for an additional jailer per shift," McDevitt said, "and I haven't gotten a single jailer position yet."
But Burke County commissioner Maynard Taylor, who was elected six years ago, said the county has been generous with the Sheriff's Office in recent years, approving funds for new vehicles, pay raises and a deputy for McDevitt to use at the jail or in the courts.
"You can build jails with cells made out of gold, and they'd still be wanting something," Taylor said.
Regardless of how many guards were on duty Wednesday, Harkins said, no jailer should carry keys when interacting with inmates. "(Jailers) will have to come in contact with inmates," he said, "but they should never have keys on them that would allow an inmate to exit the jail."
McDevitt said it's impossible for guards at his jail to maneuver through the hallways of the 30-year-old jail without keys.
Unlike more modern facilities, McDevitt said, the doors do not automatically lock, so deputies must carry keys to move from room to room.
The Burke County jail has a history of security lapses. In July 1999, an inspector noted that the door wasn't kept locked, a safety hazard should inmates riot or attempt to escape. More recently, in January and August 2006, inspectors reported the same problem but imposed no penalties and took no further action, Harkins said.
Harkins said an initial investigation by the N.C. Division of Facility Services shows the control room was locked Wednesday night. The State Bureau of Investigation is also looking into the incident.
Before Wednesday's escape, Burgess was being held on armed robbery charges; Harbison for breaking and entering; and Pierce for probation violation and credit card theft.
All three men were being held in separate cells Thursday at the Burke County jail.
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1/11/07
Explosion, fire damage factory in Caldwell Co.
Lacquer erupts in flames near worker
Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
GRANITE FALLS – An explosion and fire destroyed a storage trailer and damaged part of a furniture factory in Caldwell County on Wednesday, but no one was seriously injured.
Twelve employees were working at Danny Cook's custom finishing plant on Hurricane Hill Road when the explosion occurred shortly before 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Firefighters were still investigating the cause of the explosion.
Shane Duran, 25, said he was spraying furniture with a highly flammable lacquer when he heard the spray booth motor pop. He went to turn off the machine, he said, when flames erupted no more than two feet from his face, slightly singeing his forehead.
"I guess it sparked and caught the dust on fire," he said.
Within seconds, flames had covered the ceiling and were lapping at the walls of the room, he said. Duran and the other 11 employees working in the factory fled the building and called 911.
"By the time they could get to the fire extinguisher, (the fire) had already spread," said Caldwell County Fire Marshall Robbie Wilkie.
The back portion of the single-story building, where Duran and five other employees were working, held piles of wood and dozens of bottles of combustible fluids for finishing the furniture, workers said. The fire spread to the attached storage trailer.
"(The room) had lumber from the floor to the ceiling," said employee Delmar Weaver, 31, who had been working with Duran when the fire began.
Grace Chapel Fire Chief Josh Teague said the back portion of the building was destroyed. Other than the partially melted ceiling, Teague said the main showroom and front part of the building suffered considerably less damage.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
GRANITE FALLS – An explosion and fire destroyed a storage trailer and damaged part of a furniture factory in Caldwell County on Wednesday, but no one was seriously injured.
Twelve employees were working at Danny Cook's custom finishing plant on Hurricane Hill Road when the explosion occurred shortly before 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Firefighters were still investigating the cause of the explosion.
Shane Duran, 25, said he was spraying furniture with a highly flammable lacquer when he heard the spray booth motor pop. He went to turn off the machine, he said, when flames erupted no more than two feet from his face, slightly singeing his forehead.
"I guess it sparked and caught the dust on fire," he said.
Within seconds, flames had covered the ceiling and were lapping at the walls of the room, he said. Duran and the other 11 employees working in the factory fled the building and called 911.
"By the time they could get to the fire extinguisher, (the fire) had already spread," said Caldwell County Fire Marshall Robbie Wilkie.
The back portion of the single-story building, where Duran and five other employees were working, held piles of wood and dozens of bottles of combustible fluids for finishing the furniture, workers said. The fire spread to the attached storage trailer.
"(The room) had lumber from the floor to the ceiling," said employee Delmar Weaver, 31, who had been working with Duran when the fire began.
Grace Chapel Fire Chief Josh Teague said the back portion of the building was destroyed. Other than the partially melted ceiling, Teague said the main showroom and front part of the building suffered considerably less damage.
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Caldwell closes 1 of 2 clinics
Granite Falls location wasn’t ‘cost-effective’
Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
LENOIR – Caldwell County commissioners have decided to close the county health clinic in Granite Falls because, they say, it costs the county thousands of dollars to duplicate services offered elsewhere.
"It's not really cost-effective," said commission Chairman Faye Higgins.
Services at the Granite Falls clinic, which is one of only two public clinics in the county and open only on Mondays, will end Jan. 29, said Denise Michaud, director of the Caldwell County Health Department.
In July, commissioners recommended that the Health Department track the six-month cost of keeping the clinic open and how many patients were being treated.
"This has been a process," Michaud said. "It certainly wasn't a decision that was made without investigating the facts and looking at the statistics."
In a presentation to county commissioners Monday, Michaud said that 355 patients visited the Granite Falls clinic between July and December, costing the county $19,775 - roughly $56 per patient.
Closing the clinic, which focuses primarily on maternity and family planning, will require most patients to visit the main clinic in Lenoir, where the Department of Social Services is also located.
"It's convenient for many of our citizens because they can inquire about multiple services in one visit," Michaud said.
She said the Health Department will continue to hold its seasonal flu-shot drive in several spots throughout the county and is also looking into using the mobile health clinic more in Granite Falls and the southern end of the county.
"It's an extension of the Health Department and an alternate way to provide services," Michaud said. "We'll make the call based on the need."
The Granite Falls clinic is staffed by health department employees who also work at the Lenoir facility, Michaud said. Hours at the clinic, which opened in the late 1970s, were reduced from 40 hours a week to eight hours in 1981.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
LENOIR – Caldwell County commissioners have decided to close the county health clinic in Granite Falls because, they say, it costs the county thousands of dollars to duplicate services offered elsewhere.
"It's not really cost-effective," said commission Chairman Faye Higgins.
Services at the Granite Falls clinic, which is one of only two public clinics in the county and open only on Mondays, will end Jan. 29, said Denise Michaud, director of the Caldwell County Health Department.
In July, commissioners recommended that the Health Department track the six-month cost of keeping the clinic open and how many patients were being treated.
"This has been a process," Michaud said. "It certainly wasn't a decision that was made without investigating the facts and looking at the statistics."
In a presentation to county commissioners Monday, Michaud said that 355 patients visited the Granite Falls clinic between July and December, costing the county $19,775 - roughly $56 per patient.
Closing the clinic, which focuses primarily on maternity and family planning, will require most patients to visit the main clinic in Lenoir, where the Department of Social Services is also located.
"It's convenient for many of our citizens because they can inquire about multiple services in one visit," Michaud said.
She said the Health Department will continue to hold its seasonal flu-shot drive in several spots throughout the county and is also looking into using the mobile health clinic more in Granite Falls and the southern end of the county.
"It's an extension of the Health Department and an alternate way to provide services," Michaud said. "We'll make the call based on the need."
The Granite Falls clinic is staffed by health department employees who also work at the Lenoir facility, Michaud said. Hours at the clinic, which opened in the late 1970s, were reduced from 40 hours a week to eight hours in 1981.
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Jail to add 8 new officers
State inspector sad staff needed for Caldwell facility to maintain state standards
Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
LENOIR – The Caldwell County commissioners' decision this week to hire eight new employees at the county jail is the first step toward improving working and living conditions there, Sheriff's Office officials say.
Even though the facility meets statutory requirements, new jail administrator Chris Brackett said he wants to add detention officers and find ways to improve maintenance.
"It's a taxpayer building," he said. "You want to maintain it."
The Sheriff's Office has 20 full-time and a few part-time detention officers, whose job also includes monitoring the courts and transporting prisoners. With five officers working each shift, Brackett said, the jail is just minimally staffed, and employees are overworked.
"Right now, we're meeting all the requirements," he said. "But if somebody is sick, out for training or wants to take a vacation, that leaves us in a very tight predicament."
Between standard jail requirements, such as booking and observation, he said, the staff doesn't have time to worry about maintenance or supervise inmates doing work detail.
"We have the labor there, and the inmates are willing to work," Brackett said. "They want to get out of their cells and do laundry, scrub, clean, sweep and all that."
So, in November, Brackett brought in the state's chief jail inspector, John Harkins, for a comprehensive assessment and tips on what the 185-bed jail could do to improve conditions.
Harkins suggested hiring at least four more officers per shift, which would allow staff more flexibility and the ability to make sure the jail continues to meet state standards.
While Brackett said he isn't prepared to hire the 16 additional officers necessary to meet Harkins' recommendation, he did propose that county commissioners approve hiring eight employees at the board's Monday meeting.
The cost, Brackett said, would be about $155,000 for the rest of the 2006-2007 fiscal year and more than $250,000 for the upcoming year. He said he hopes to offset the cost with federal grants and income from housing inmates from other counties.
The board unanimously approved the motion, requesting that Brackett not only expand his staff but talk with the county's finance department to create a business plan and provide the commission quarterly updates on the jail.
"I want to make sure this thing is ongoing and we get regular reports," said Commissioner Don Barrier.
Brackett said he has already picked four new officers and is completing the background checks on four others, which would put seven employees on each shift. The additional staff, he said, is a critical step toward improving conditions at the facility.
"With this, we're more able to get the work done," he said. "It's easier and cheaper to maintain a facility than to make repairs."
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
LENOIR – The Caldwell County commissioners' decision this week to hire eight new employees at the county jail is the first step toward improving working and living conditions there, Sheriff's Office officials say.
Even though the facility meets statutory requirements, new jail administrator Chris Brackett said he wants to add detention officers and find ways to improve maintenance.
"It's a taxpayer building," he said. "You want to maintain it."
The Sheriff's Office has 20 full-time and a few part-time detention officers, whose job also includes monitoring the courts and transporting prisoners. With five officers working each shift, Brackett said, the jail is just minimally staffed, and employees are overworked.
"Right now, we're meeting all the requirements," he said. "But if somebody is sick, out for training or wants to take a vacation, that leaves us in a very tight predicament."
Between standard jail requirements, such as booking and observation, he said, the staff doesn't have time to worry about maintenance or supervise inmates doing work detail.
"We have the labor there, and the inmates are willing to work," Brackett said. "They want to get out of their cells and do laundry, scrub, clean, sweep and all that."
So, in November, Brackett brought in the state's chief jail inspector, John Harkins, for a comprehensive assessment and tips on what the 185-bed jail could do to improve conditions.
Harkins suggested hiring at least four more officers per shift, which would allow staff more flexibility and the ability to make sure the jail continues to meet state standards.
While Brackett said he isn't prepared to hire the 16 additional officers necessary to meet Harkins' recommendation, he did propose that county commissioners approve hiring eight employees at the board's Monday meeting.
The cost, Brackett said, would be about $155,000 for the rest of the 2006-2007 fiscal year and more than $250,000 for the upcoming year. He said he hopes to offset the cost with federal grants and income from housing inmates from other counties.
The board unanimously approved the motion, requesting that Brackett not only expand his staff but talk with the county's finance department to create a business plan and provide the commission quarterly updates on the jail.
"I want to make sure this thing is ongoing and we get regular reports," said Commissioner Don Barrier.
Brackett said he has already picked four new officers and is completing the background checks on four others, which would put seven employees on each shift. The additional staff, he said, is a critical step toward improving conditions at the facility.
"With this, we're more able to get the work done," he said. "It's easier and cheaper to maintain a facility than to make repairs."
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1/9/07
Engineers hope to have U.S. 127 bridge repaired, open by tonight
Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Transportation engineers said Monday that they hoped to open the U.S. 127 bridge across the Catawba River no later than this evening.
Authorities closed the bridge Friday after maintenance crews discovered cracks in the span, said Stacy Cooke, a state bridge maintenance engineer. The bridge connects Alexander and Catawba counties.
Crews worked through the weekend to stabilize the bridge. Repaving, halted briefly by rain, was to begin Monday evening. They hope to reopen the bridge by evening rush hour today, Cooke said.
Crews were repairing a pothole Friday at the southern entrance when they noticed a crack in the bridge.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Transportation engineers said Monday that they hoped to open the U.S. 127 bridge across the Catawba River no later than this evening.
Authorities closed the bridge Friday after maintenance crews discovered cracks in the span, said Stacy Cooke, a state bridge maintenance engineer. The bridge connects Alexander and Catawba counties.
Crews worked through the weekend to stabilize the bridge. Repaving, halted briefly by rain, was to begin Monday evening. They hope to reopen the bridge by evening rush hour today, Cooke said.
Crews were repairing a pothole Friday at the southern entrance when they noticed a crack in the bridge.
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Man charged with sex offenses after just finishing prison term
Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
HICKORY A man who just finished a prison term in Pennsylvania has been charged with two seven-year-old sex offenses in Hickory.
Timothy William Fletcher, 39, was charged Friday with felony sex offense and taking indecent liberties with a child, said Sgt. Scott Hildebrand of the Hickory Police Department.
Authorities issued a warrant for Fletcher's arrest in 2000 after his girlfriend told officers that her 8-year-old daughter had been molested by her boyfriend, Hildebrand said. Hildebrand said Fletcher left the state before the district attorney could issue an indictment for his arrest.
In 2001, Fletcher was charged on several sex offense charges involving a 3-year-old girl in Pennsylvania and sentenced to jail. Fletcher was extradited to Catawba County after completing his sentence. He was being held Monday on a $250,000 bond at the Catawba County jail.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
HICKORY A man who just finished a prison term in Pennsylvania has been charged with two seven-year-old sex offenses in Hickory.
Timothy William Fletcher, 39, was charged Friday with felony sex offense and taking indecent liberties with a child, said Sgt. Scott Hildebrand of the Hickory Police Department.
Authorities issued a warrant for Fletcher's arrest in 2000 after his girlfriend told officers that her 8-year-old daughter had been molested by her boyfriend, Hildebrand said. Hildebrand said Fletcher left the state before the district attorney could issue an indictment for his arrest.
In 2001, Fletcher was charged on several sex offense charges involving a 3-year-old girl in Pennsylvania and sentenced to jail. Fletcher was extradited to Catawba County after completing his sentence. He was being held Monday on a $250,000 bond at the Catawba County jail.
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1/7/07
The Dart: Waterwheel full of memories of Dad
Sunday, Jan. 7, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
GLEN ALPINE – There isn't a large river or stream anywhere near the 16-foot steel waterwheel standing alone in the middle of the McGalliard land.
Sure, there's a small creek a few dozen feet away, but the dirt peeks through the shallow puddles and halts any thought that this might be the tributary to spin the massive red wheel.
But James McGalliard wasn't worried about that two decades ago, when he built the wheel on a small portion of his family's nearly 50 acres. McGalliard, then 72, just liked building things and thinking about how man-crafted machines could coexist with nature.
"He loved water mills," said son David McGalliard. "He just loved nature and putting nature to use."
James McGalliard, 92, died a month ago, but the waterwheel still sits where The Dart recently landed - in the open field nestled at the end of Snowhill Place, just outside of Glen Alpine and surrounded by golden grasses, sloping hills and hundreds of trees.
His son, 67-year-old David McGalliard, said his father had never built a waterwheel before he started collecting the parts for this one in 1986. Still, McGalliard said, it's perfect.
"It's just so well-balanced, I've seen the wind turn it," he said.
James McGalliard wasn't a novice at building things.
Over the years, the Burke County native and 1938 Elon graduate and football player took a job at a shipyard, farmed dairy cows, ran a sawmill, built hundreds of machines - from garden tractors to trailers - and repaired countless planers and tools.
"He built a lot of stuff. Trailers for moving soilage and trailers with dumps on them - even before people thought of trailers with dumps on 'em," David McGalliard said. "He could fix anything except the break of day or a broken heart."
In 1965, James McGalliard bought an old sawmill in East Tennille, Ga., that had been empty for years, his son said, fixed the broken turbine, cleaned out the silt and started a business grinding corn and sawing wood.
"That sawmill was really cool," McGalliard recalled. "With the water power, all you could hear was the saw turning."
Maybe the memory of the saw is why James McGalliard decided to start building a water mill on his Burke County front lawn decades later. David McGalliard said his father had tentative plans to reroute water from a larger stream, dam it and hoist it over the wheel.
"He just dreamed about working. He wasn't into movies, and he didn't drink," McGalliard said. "He got up in the morning to work. That's what he did."
But when his father became ill about four years ago and was too weak to work, McGalliard asked what he should do with the wheel.
"I said, `Pops, I'm not sure I'm going to put that to use. What do you think if we found someone who could use it?' " McGalliard recalled. "He liked that."
McGalliard said he's still not sure what to do with the giant red wheel. He might try to finish the project and find a stream to churn the mill, but he likely will start taking bids on eBay. He wouldn't accept less than $5,000 for the work his dad put in, he said.
If the wheel doesn't bring in at least that much, he said, he'll let it stand in the middle of the field - a sort of garden sculpture memorial to his father.
The Point of The Dart
The idea behind The Dart is simple: We're looking for the kind of news the media don't usually report. We throw a dart at a map of one of the counties in the Catawba Valley, and we'll write about what's happening at that spot. We hope this feature will bring out stories that too often are ignored and will help you meet some of your neighbors in the region.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
GLEN ALPINE – There isn't a large river or stream anywhere near the 16-foot steel waterwheel standing alone in the middle of the McGalliard land.
Sure, there's a small creek a few dozen feet away, but the dirt peeks through the shallow puddles and halts any thought that this might be the tributary to spin the massive red wheel.
But James McGalliard wasn't worried about that two decades ago, when he built the wheel on a small portion of his family's nearly 50 acres. McGalliard, then 72, just liked building things and thinking about how man-crafted machines could coexist with nature.
"He loved water mills," said son David McGalliard. "He just loved nature and putting nature to use."
James McGalliard, 92, died a month ago, but the waterwheel still sits where The Dart recently landed - in the open field nestled at the end of Snowhill Place, just outside of Glen Alpine and surrounded by golden grasses, sloping hills and hundreds of trees.
His son, 67-year-old David McGalliard, said his father had never built a waterwheel before he started collecting the parts for this one in 1986. Still, McGalliard said, it's perfect.
"It's just so well-balanced, I've seen the wind turn it," he said.
James McGalliard wasn't a novice at building things.
Over the years, the Burke County native and 1938 Elon graduate and football player took a job at a shipyard, farmed dairy cows, ran a sawmill, built hundreds of machines - from garden tractors to trailers - and repaired countless planers and tools.
"He built a lot of stuff. Trailers for moving soilage and trailers with dumps on them - even before people thought of trailers with dumps on 'em," David McGalliard said. "He could fix anything except the break of day or a broken heart."
In 1965, James McGalliard bought an old sawmill in East Tennille, Ga., that had been empty for years, his son said, fixed the broken turbine, cleaned out the silt and started a business grinding corn and sawing wood.
"That sawmill was really cool," McGalliard recalled. "With the water power, all you could hear was the saw turning."
Maybe the memory of the saw is why James McGalliard decided to start building a water mill on his Burke County front lawn decades later. David McGalliard said his father had tentative plans to reroute water from a larger stream, dam it and hoist it over the wheel.
"He just dreamed about working. He wasn't into movies, and he didn't drink," McGalliard said. "He got up in the morning to work. That's what he did."
But when his father became ill about four years ago and was too weak to work, McGalliard asked what he should do with the wheel.
"I said, `Pops, I'm not sure I'm going to put that to use. What do you think if we found someone who could use it?' " McGalliard recalled. "He liked that."
McGalliard said he's still not sure what to do with the giant red wheel. He might try to finish the project and find a stream to churn the mill, but he likely will start taking bids on eBay. He wouldn't accept less than $5,000 for the work his dad put in, he said.
If the wheel doesn't bring in at least that much, he said, he'll let it stand in the middle of the field - a sort of garden sculpture memorial to his father.
The Point of The Dart
The idea behind The Dart is simple: We're looking for the kind of news the media don't usually report. We throw a dart at a map of one of the counties in the Catawba Valley, and we'll write about what's happening at that spot. We hope this feature will bring out stories that too often are ignored and will help you meet some of your neighbors in the region.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
1/6/07
U.S. 127 bridge over Catawba is closed after cracks discovered
Saturday, Jan. 6, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
HICKORY - Transportation engineers closed the U.S. 127 bridge over the Catawba River on Friday evening after maintenance crews discovered cracks in the span.
Stacy Cooke, a state bridge maintenance engineer, said crews closed the road shortly before 5 p.m. Friday. Both lanes of traffic will be closed through the weekend and possibly longer, he said.
Crews were repairing a pothole Friday at the southern entrance when they noticed a crack in the bridge, Cooke said. The crack could possibly cause the bridge to tip downward and create a ramp steep enough to send a speeding car airborne.
Transportation officials have set up signs directing motorists to an alternate route.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
HICKORY - Transportation engineers closed the U.S. 127 bridge over the Catawba River on Friday evening after maintenance crews discovered cracks in the span.
Stacy Cooke, a state bridge maintenance engineer, said crews closed the road shortly before 5 p.m. Friday. Both lanes of traffic will be closed through the weekend and possibly longer, he said.
Crews were repairing a pothole Friday at the southern entrance when they noticed a crack in the bridge, Cooke said. The crack could possibly cause the bridge to tip downward and create a ramp steep enough to send a speeding car airborne.
Transportation officials have set up signs directing motorists to an alternate route.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
1/5/07
Man faces kidnapping charge after wife is taken hostage
Schools locked down until authorities found Claremont man
Friday, Jan. 5, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Claremont man was charged Thursday with kidnapping after, authorities said, he took his wife hostage and threatened to kill her and himself.
Joey Smith, 44, will likely face other charges after authorities have completed their investigation, said Maj. Coy Reid of the Catawba County Sheriff's Office.
Shortly after 9 a.m. Thursday, a caller told county dispatchers that Smith was planning to kill his wife before committing suicide, Reid said. The caller was neither Smith nor his wife, but Reid would not say who it was. He said late Thursday that he did not know the wife's name.
Reid said deputies found Smith's and his wife's cars parked out front of Smith's home on Setzer Street in Claremont. When no one answered the door, deputies broke into the house and found it empty, Reid said.
Officers began searching property around the home and were able to contact Smith on his cell phone, Reid said.
Smith told authorities that he had already killed his wife, Reid said, and the Sheriff's Office dispatched a team of officers from the Maiden, Newton and Conover police departments, a Hickory Police Department K-9 team, and a Highway Patrol helicopter.
Nearby Bunker Hill High School and Riverbend Middle School were locked down for most of the morning, Reid said.
The schools are "not too far from the wooded area (behind Smith's home)," Reid said. "We didn't want to take a chance of him coming up from there and going into a school."
Troopers in the helicopter spotted Smith waving a pistol in the woods, Reid said, and officers on the ground tackled him. His wife was standing about two feet from him and was not badly injured. She was treated at a local hospital, Reid said.
Smith was being held Thursday afternoon at the Catawba County jail.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Friday, Jan. 5, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Claremont man was charged Thursday with kidnapping after, authorities said, he took his wife hostage and threatened to kill her and himself.
Joey Smith, 44, will likely face other charges after authorities have completed their investigation, said Maj. Coy Reid of the Catawba County Sheriff's Office.
Shortly after 9 a.m. Thursday, a caller told county dispatchers that Smith was planning to kill his wife before committing suicide, Reid said. The caller was neither Smith nor his wife, but Reid would not say who it was. He said late Thursday that he did not know the wife's name.
Reid said deputies found Smith's and his wife's cars parked out front of Smith's home on Setzer Street in Claremont. When no one answered the door, deputies broke into the house and found it empty, Reid said.
Officers began searching property around the home and were able to contact Smith on his cell phone, Reid said.
Smith told authorities that he had already killed his wife, Reid said, and the Sheriff's Office dispatched a team of officers from the Maiden, Newton and Conover police departments, a Hickory Police Department K-9 team, and a Highway Patrol helicopter.
Nearby Bunker Hill High School and Riverbend Middle School were locked down for most of the morning, Reid said.
The schools are "not too far from the wooded area (behind Smith's home)," Reid said. "We didn't want to take a chance of him coming up from there and going into a school."
Troopers in the helicopter spotted Smith waving a pistol in the woods, Reid said, and officers on the ground tackled him. His wife was standing about two feet from him and was not badly injured. She was treated at a local hospital, Reid said.
Smith was being held Thursday afternoon at the Catawba County jail.
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Newton woman charged with rape of boy under age 16
Friday, Jan. 5, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A 29-year-old Newton woman has been charged with felony first-degree rape of a child, more than a month after the boy's mother reported the incident to Catawba County authorities.
Bettye Jo Herman was charged Dec. 29 with rape of a child under the age of 16. The offense was reported Nov. 23, according to court records.
Maj. Coy Reid of the Catawba County Sheriff's Office said Herman and the boy had intercourse more than once and on multiple days. Herman, he said, was a friend of the boy's family. He did not know how old the boy was.
Herman was being held Thursday at the Catawba County jail under $50,000 secured bond. She is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 24, according to jail records.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A 29-year-old Newton woman has been charged with felony first-degree rape of a child, more than a month after the boy's mother reported the incident to Catawba County authorities.
Bettye Jo Herman was charged Dec. 29 with rape of a child under the age of 16. The offense was reported Nov. 23, according to court records.
Maj. Coy Reid of the Catawba County Sheriff's Office said Herman and the boy had intercourse more than once and on multiple days. Herman, he said, was a friend of the boy's family. He did not know how old the boy was.
Herman was being held Thursday at the Catawba County jail under $50,000 secured bond. She is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 24, according to jail records.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
67-year-old woman killed after car hits embankment, flips
Friday, Jan. 5, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Linville woman died on a short stretch of highway in Caldwell County on Thursday when her car hit an embankment and flipped, authorities said.
Kathleen Bowman, 67, was driving her 2001 Jeep Cherokee north on U.S. 221 about 9:45 a.m. when she rounded a curve, hit a patch of black ice and swerved off the left side of the highway, said Highway Patrol Trooper J.D. Boone.
Bowman hit an embankment, which flipped the car and crushed the roof, Boone said. She was dead when authorities arrived, he said. Boone said Bowman was wearing a seat belt and not speeding. No other passengers were in the car, and no other vehicles were involved in the wreck, he said.
U.S. 221 runs for less than two miles through the most northwestern corner of Caldwell County, between Avery and Watauga counties.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Linville woman died on a short stretch of highway in Caldwell County on Thursday when her car hit an embankment and flipped, authorities said.
Kathleen Bowman, 67, was driving her 2001 Jeep Cherokee north on U.S. 221 about 9:45 a.m. when she rounded a curve, hit a patch of black ice and swerved off the left side of the highway, said Highway Patrol Trooper J.D. Boone.
Bowman hit an embankment, which flipped the car and crushed the roof, Boone said. She was dead when authorities arrived, he said. Boone said Bowman was wearing a seat belt and not speeding. No other passengers were in the car, and no other vehicles were involved in the wreck, he said.
U.S. 221 runs for less than two miles through the most northwestern corner of Caldwell County, between Avery and Watauga counties.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
1/4/07
Man accused in wife's death seeks new location for trial
Thursday, Jan. 4, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
SAWMILLS - Defense attorneys for Jerry Anderson, charged with murder in the 2005 death of his wife, are asking for a change of venue.
Lisa Dubs, Anderson's Hickory-based attorney, said the case has received too much media attention for Anderson to receive a fair trial in Caldwell County.
On Dec. 29, 2005, 49-year-old Emily Anderson disappeared from the Sawmills farm she operated with her husband, Jerry Anderson. Her body was found 10 days later in an S.C. restaurant parking lot about 100 miles from Caldwell County.
She had been shot twice. Her body was crammed into the large tool compartment of her Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck.
Nearly a month after she disappeared, 47-year-old Jerry Anderson was charged with first-degree murder. He could face the death penalty if convicted and awaits trial from the Caldwell County jail.
The trial is tentatively scheduled to begin May 12.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
SAWMILLS - Defense attorneys for Jerry Anderson, charged with murder in the 2005 death of his wife, are asking for a change of venue.
Lisa Dubs, Anderson's Hickory-based attorney, said the case has received too much media attention for Anderson to receive a fair trial in Caldwell County.
On Dec. 29, 2005, 49-year-old Emily Anderson disappeared from the Sawmills farm she operated with her husband, Jerry Anderson. Her body was found 10 days later in an S.C. restaurant parking lot about 100 miles from Caldwell County.
She had been shot twice. Her body was crammed into the large tool compartment of her Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck.
Nearly a month after she disappeared, 47-year-old Jerry Anderson was charged with first-degree murder. He could face the death penalty if convicted and awaits trial from the Caldwell County jail.
The trial is tentatively scheduled to begin May 12.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
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