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Vol. 129, Issue 93 $.50 Central slips by Cards, 8-0 INDEX Obits ... page 3A Opinions ... page 4A page 1B Business ... page 5A Sports ... page 1B Few showers Classifieds ... page 5B High Low Serving Surry County since 1880. 68 44 For subscriptions, call 786-4141. The Mount Airy News www.mtairynews.com Printed on recycled newspaper Friday, April 3, 2009 Ex-school employee is being investigated STAFF REPORT ing there, according to Fred Johnson, attorney for the PILOT MOUNTAIN — school system. An investigation is under way “It is my understanding of a former Surry County that the separation of her em- MORGAN WALL/THE NEWS School System employee. ployment with Surry County Students at Franklin Elementary School raise their pinwheels in honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month. According to reports Schools occurred March 30, Thursday the employee, a for- 2009,” said Johnson. mer bus driver and school School officials did not of- food services employee, is be- fer a comment, stating the is- sue is a personnel matter. Pinwheels for Prevention ing investigated for possibly The investigation was ini- having inappropriate relations MORGAN WALL tary School filed into the yard of the school. Three of and teachers at Franklin Ele- with a student. tially headed up by the Surry gymnasium on Thursday for those cutouts held a banner mentary proved on Thursday STAFF REPORTER She was initially employed County Sheriff’s Office. How- a program. urging them to “Help Prevent that anyone can help stop by the school system in 1999 ever, according to Sheriff Gra- On their way, they passed Child Abuse!” child abuse, even the children as a bus driver and a cafeteria ham Atkinson, once his office With pinwheels in hand, by wooden cutouts of chil- April is Child Abuse Pre- themselves. discovered the case occurred worker at East Surry High students at Franklin Elemen- dren scattered throughout the vention Month, and students See PINWHEELS, page 2A School, but is no longer work- See SCHOOL, page 3A Board reluctantly Joining the big leagues approves seeking Sechrist is principal for the day MORGAN WALL cited than jealous,” he said telephone bids STAFF REPORTER of his friends. To complete the swap, TOM JOYCE five years, lessening the budg- et hit. Brady Sechrist had the Beasley attended his class- STAFF REPORTER es and even completed Even after some assurance chance to step into the was given along those lines, shoes of Chad Beasley on some of his assignments. After a lengthy and some- Sechrist does have to do times-spirited discussion, Commissioner Deborah Wednesday. Cochran still voted against some homework though, so Mount Airy officials decided The fourth grader took Thursday night to solicit bids seeking the bids in a 4-1 deci- over as principal of J.J. he does not get out of class sion by the board. completely. However, he is for a new city government Jones Intermediate School communications system. “The telephone system is a for the day after winning not fooled into thinking prohibitive cost for the city that principals have it easy, However, there was con- the position by selling the cern among members of the right now,” Cochran said, cit- most bear cards, discount simply sitting in their office city board of commissioners ing the financial pressures fac- coupons for restaurants. or roaming the school all that this action not represent a ing both the state and munici- This is the second year he day. commitment to actually spend pal governments. In pointing has earned the honor so he “When a kid gets to be money for the system estimat- to continued high unemploy- knew some of what to ex- principal of the day, we ed to cost as much as ment and increases in food pect. However, he was able have the easy life,” he said. $470,500. stamp rolls, Cochran suggest- to take on some extra duties “I really believe Mr. The consensus was that the ed that steps should be taken this year. Beasley has a lot more move simply be a way to de- to cut the local budget rather “I’ve mostly been fool- work to do.” termine the actual expense, than do anything to add to the ing around in the office,” Sechrist has aspirations which discussion indicated spending. he said. “I went in all the of one day being a principal could be much less in today’s Cochran’s comments, as classrooms and signed the himself after his experi- economic climate when sup- well as others from commis- teachers’ lesson plans.” ences at Jones. pliers and contractors are sioners Dean Brown and Jon He greeted the car riders “Since the first time I struggling for business. Dis- Cawley, brought an immediate reaction from fellow Commis- as they arrived in the park- did it, I’ve been shooting to MORGAN WALL/THE NEWS cussion also indicated that the ing lot Wednesday morning be a principal when I grow Brady Sechrist, principal for the day, and Jennifer Free- expense could be spread over See BOARD, page 2A and made morning an- up. It’s truly exciting,” he man, assistant principal, listen to the Mount Airy Middle nouncements. He also had said. Goober’s for lunch instead Contact Morgan Wall at and High school bands perform at J.J. Jones Intermedi- of the usual cafeteria food. [email protected] or ate School on Wednesday. Sechrist spent the day acting “I think they’re more ex- 719-1929. as principal in place of Chad Beasley. Arrests made in ‘Once ink gets in your Patrick beatings TOM JOYCE Mount Airy Police Officers STAFF REPORTER P.E. Ellis and J.M. Inman, charged with being a fugitive STUART, Va. — Two from justice and confined in blood, it’s hard to get out’ people have been arrested the Surry County Jail under a stemming from a recent beat- $100,000 secured bond, ing and robbery in Patrick pending his extradition to Powell, Flippin have nearly 100 combined years at The News County, including one sus- Virginia. pect who was taken into cus- Patrick County Sheriff tody in Mount Airy late Dan Smith said Thursday Wednesday. that the second suspect in the JOHN PETERS The suspects were sought case, Gregory Wayne Davis, EDITOR in the wake of an attack last 32, also has been located af- Friday on a Claudville man, ter officers issued a public As The Mount Airy News who was beaten unconscious appeal earlier this week celebrates its 129th birthday and stripped of some of his seeking information on JOHN PETERS/THE NEWS Davis’ whereabouts. “Both today, two of its employees Eleanor Powell works clothing. can speak with first-hand William Wesley Webb, of them are now in custody,” knowledge about the changes at her desk in the 22, of 416 Pine Ridge Road, Smith said. An address for and improvements in the paper newsroom of The Mount Airy, was located on Davis was not available. over the past several decades. Mount Airy News. West Pine Street near Webb and Davis are ac- One, Eleanor Powell, is in Beasley Street Wednesday cused of giving the victim a many ways the face of The night, with a routine check ride, then beating him after News, with her society for outstanding warrants re- he did not comply with their columns gracing The News’ vealing that Webb was want- demand to give them money, pages for much of the past 60 ed in Patrick County for as- based on an investigation by years. The other, Dennis Flip- sault and robbery. Lt. Katherine Layman of the See INK, page 8A Webb was arrested by See ARRESTS, page 2A 2A Friday, April 3, 2009 The Mount Airy News, Mount Airy, NC www.mtairynews.com PAGE TWO olina as a result of abuse or ored pinwheels were meant to PINWHEELS: neglect as well as their ages stand for the bright future that Continued from page 1A were also read. all children deserve. “Child abuse isn’t some- Marcum asked the students thing that happens far away. to raise their pinwheels and At the program, Principal We all have a job to do in pro- make a promise to themselves Terry Marcum read a procla- tecting our children,” said at the end of the program. mation issued by the Surry Melissa Hart, counselor. “Promise yourselves that if County Board of Commis- “I can tell by the looks on you are ever mistreated you sioners. With all of the formal your faces as those names will tell another adult,” she language in the proclamation, were read that it really hurts said. “This is Child Abuse Marcum made sure the stu- our hearts when we hear Prevention Month, and there dents understood what was things like this,” said Mar- is never a good reason for said. cum. “You have a right to be having an abused child.” “What that boils down to treated well.” Students at East Surry High say is we need to treat our In honor of the event, stu- School were even involved in children right,” she said. dents made pinwheels out of helping with the program. Art In addition to reading the paper and a pencil which they students painted the silhou- proclamation, fifth-grade stu- decorated and took to the pro- ettes which represented the 25 dent ambassadors read aloud gram. The older students were children who have died on MORGAN WALL/THE NEWS statistics about child abuse in involved in helping the North Carolina this year. Art students at East Surry High School decorated the silhouettes which were displayed the state and in Surry County.