Primaries to Be Held March 3
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WILKES COUNTY, N.C. — THE HOMEPLACE OF AMERICANA MUSIC Contact us at 336-667-0134, e-mail [email protected] In Sports An amazing Primaries afternoon, an amazing to be held service... March 3 See Welborn, 6A Rickard’s Chapel AME Zion Church See 3A Cheyenne Clonch on the bas NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020 VOL. 38, NO. 37 Only 25¢ Rhonda Hinson's Datsun as it was discovered on the morning of her death on Dec. 23, 1981. The killing of Rhonda Hinson Editor’s note: This is a continuation of a of crimes. series about the Dec. 23, 1981, unsolved As previously reported in an earlier murder of Rhonda Hinson. installment, fingerprints were found on the driver's side window of the By LARRY J. GRIFFIN Part 1981 Datsun 210 on the day Special Investigative Reporter of the killing of Rhonda For The Record 46 Hinson-Wednesday, Dec. 23, 1981. According to an With the recent case of Baby Michael SBI document detailing the nascent investi- solved using forensic genealogy and all the gation: publicity-maybe this could be an option for "One (1) area of fingerprints was noted on the DNA found under the arms [of Rhonda the window and (2) lifts were made from this Hinson's sweater].-Comment offered by a area. The rest of the door on the driver's side respondent to the Remembering Rhonda was fingerprinted without results. The door Hinson Facebook page. on the passenger's side was not fingerprinted, as it had been exposed to the weather on the In 1984-approximately three-years after outside and had been locked at the original the killing of Ronda Hinson-Alec Jeffreys crime scene. and his associates at the University of However, in a report written by Detective Above, Nikki Morgan represented New Direction Ministries. Leicester in England discovered that each Gene Franklin on Feb. 10, 1995-over 13- See more on 8A. Record photo by Ken Welbron person's DNA varies, rendering every indi- years subsequent to the murder-he noted that vidual on the planet unique. Moreover, they a substantial amount of evidence had been Influence of Black Churches found that specific areas of the long human lost or destroyed, among which were the By KEN WELBORN DNA molecule exhibit a characteristic that negatives of the crime scene photos and the, Record Publisher they labeled as polymorphism-meaning that "...fingerprints taken from the door and win- Over 20 churches were recognized this past Sunday afternoon at the the molecule can assume many different dows …." Rickard's Chapel AME Zion Church on Old US 421 in Wilkesboro. This forms. "We were given a couple of explanations service was a continuation of the Wilkes County Local Black Pioneers Subsequent to that revelation, Jeffreys by law enforcement as to what happened to series began at Rickard's Chapel in 2010, this year entitled "The developed an efficacious process by which the fingerprints," Judy Hinson explained in a Influence of the Black Church." these areas of human DNA could be both recent follow-up interview. "One was that a The church sanctuary had dozens of photographs on display from past identified and analyzed-a procedure that he person at the SBI Lab in Swannanoa was events, and, this year as each church was recognized, a large photograph named DNA fingerprinting or, as it is most responsible for corrupting the fingerprints. of the church was placed on an easel and a representative of the church commonly known, DNA typing. It was also We were told that he had attempted to could come forward and receive a commemorative statuette of the event during the same year that DNA typing was enlarge the prints and messed them up during as a biography of their church was read to the congregation gathered. An utilized to implicate Colin Pitchfork in the the process. So, we contacted this man in excerpt from the introduction in the printed program for the event reads: brutal rape and murder of two teenage girls Swannanoa to ask what happened. He told "In the pulpit and the pews, in choir lofts and Sunday Schools, the Black in the rural English hamlet of Narborough. A us that the story we were told was not accu- church continues to offer affirmation and dignity to people still search- DNA match was confirmed, eliciting a con- rate, that he did not mess-up the prints, and ing for equality and justice, still willing to reach out for a more inclusive, fession from Pitchfork. It was, incidentally, that he would be willing to come to Burke embracing tomorrow. the first time in which mass DA screening County to quickly straighten things out." Rickard's Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, under the was used to solve a crime. There is no indication that the finger- leadership of our pastor, Rev. Richard Watts, celebrates the contributions Prior to this advancement, the only fail- prints-of-interest lifted from Rhonda of the Black church as the foundation of our daily living. Our churches safe method for making positive identifica- Hinson's Datsun were ever matched to any have, and continue to provide to the heritage and culture of education, faith individual/individuals present at the crime and religion in our daily living in the communities of Wilkes County. The tion of suspected perpetrators was finger- churches are the center of the lives of Black people. printing. To date, it remains an extremely scene the early morning of Dec. 23, 1981. As the song says, ‘We have come this far by faith.’ Pictured above at powerful forensic tool, with this caveat-fin- Even though his/her fingerprints may be Sunday's recognition of Black Churches in Wilkes, is Nikki Morgan, rep- gerprints are not always found at a crime absent or may have been assiduously wiped resenting New Direction Ministries Church which is located on scene because criminals have discovered clean, it is still virtually impossible for even gloves and the necessity of wiping prints Statesville Road on North Wilkesboro, and which is pastored by her See Hinson, page 3A grandfather, Bishop George Morgan. from objects touched during the commission Wilkes Prison Ministry helps foster spiritual hope in inmates Daniel Cox received a 70-84 month er service, this one led by Rev. Craig Work Release and worked at Tyson's for sentence for opiate related drug offenses Church and, although Cox doesn't six months before moving to Gardner in 2013. remember the specific sermon he knew Glass, where he has now worked for two Three years into his sentence, he was that he wanted to change his life. Since years. transferred to Wilkes Correctional that time his life has been totally differ- Cox also attended the Fathers' Center. ent. He said that he started seeing things Accountability classes. He has continued According to the Mount Airy man, he from a more positive perspective, to grow spiritually and now attends was at a very low point in his life and learned to accept things easier and Bibleway Baptist Church regularly with things looked hopeless. One night he learned to make goals and stick to pursu- a community volunteer. In 2018, Cox wandered into a chapel service, organ- ing them. was one of 10 offenders who helped the ized by Wilkes Prison Ministry and Since then Cox has graduated from prison ministry with their booth at heard a sermon from volunteer Rev. Joe the Project Reentry and Chaplain's Faithfest. Hendricks and, according to Cox, his life Reentry programs. He served as the Relations with his Mother, who has began to change. Chaplain's Assistant and graduated with See Ministry, page 3A A few weeks later he attended anoth- Daniel Cox his GED in 2016. He was assigned to Classifieds........... 3B Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Comics. ................ 4B Community ........... 4B Deaths. ............... 3A Low High Low High Low High Low Editorial Page. ......6A High Horoscopes. ........ 3B 61o Rain 30oF 43o F P/Cloudy 23o 43o F P/Cloudy 27o 39o F P/Cloudy 24oF WILKES COUNTY, N.C. — HOME of WILKES HERITAGE MUSEUM, BLUE RIDGE MUSIC HALL OF FAME, THE RECORD PARK, CHICKENFEST and AMERICANA DAY The Record - North Wilkesboro, N.C. - February 26, 2020 - Page 2A Still more music at Anchor Coffee Last Friday evening, at Anchor Coffee on D Street in North Wilkesboro, musicians who labeled themselves as punk/folk provided lively entertainment for those gathered. Pictured above left is RumbleTramp, featuring Corina Penn-Batroo on banjo, Trevor Carriere on flute, and Mission Ingram on guitar. Above right, Emily River, billed as The Runaway Freak Show, plays the resonator guitar and sings. Also performing Friday were Matt Pless and Justin Arena. Record photo by Ken Welborn N.W. Kiwanis Club news The North Wilkesboro Kiwanis Club met for the regular scheduled meeting on Friday, Feb. 14, at the Oakwoods Country Club. Lisa Beard, Engagement Director of Group Exercise at Wilkes Family and Wilkes Express YMCA spoke to the Club. The theme was on healthy living and on the program Lisa presented was entitled " Moving for Better Balance." Lisa explained the program which runs for 12 weeks with two class sessions per week held on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. and will begin on March 3."Moving for Better Balance" works to improve balance, muscle strength, flexibility, and mobility to enhance overall physical health...Participation in the program may also result in better mental health, reduced stress, improved memory and cognition, and increased self esteem, as stated in Lisa's handout literature. Typically, the program is provided for those 65-year-olds or older or those 45-year-old or older, with a chronic condition.