Stevens Co-Sponsors Safe Schools
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Fleming Vol. 130, Issue 208 $.50 returns INDEX Obits ... page 3 Opinions ... page 4 to Business ... page 5 Sports ... page 6 Scattered Storms victory Classifieds ... page 7 High Low Serving Surry County since 1880. 89 71 lane page 6 For subscriptions, call 786-4141. The Mount Airy News www.mtairynews.com Printed on recycled newspaper Tuesday, July 27, 2010 Stevens co-sponsors safe schools act TOM JOYCE Act,” which is aimed at teachers being able to re- and apply to another mended for dismissal due school district and some- STAFF REPORTER protecting students, par- main in the classroom. school district without re- to misconduct would re- times be hired because ents, teachers, principals However, she was quick to view. sign at the last stage of the their record did not reflect In the past, problem and school superintend- add that only a tiny per- process. According to the events of their recom- teachers facing dismissal ents. It will place an auto- centage of educators have Closing The Loophole Stevens, the law allowed mended dismissal, Stevens have been able to move on matic flag on teachers’ fit that negative mold and The legislation sets an employee recommend- said. records if they try to resign most are dedicated profes- forth clear parameters ed for firing to resign at This loophole has en- to another school system after a superintendent rec- sionals. for educators, including any point during a dis- while leaving their bag- abled problem educators to ommends their firing to the House Bill 1377, which administrators, who re- missal procedure covering subvert the system, under- gage behind — but that’s school board. won passage during the re- sign without the consent 30 pages, which superin- changing, thanks to legis- “It’s happened a couple cent short session of the of the superintendent, tendents must comply with mining the effects of dili- lation backed by a Surry of times here,” Stevens N.C. General Assembly, “so we won’t pass these when employees are being gent reference checks and County lawmaker. said of cases in Surry will protect children by not people on,” Stevens said. fired. an existing database of Rep. Sarah Stevens was County where a previously allowing those employees Too often in the past, Such principals, teach- fired teachers. among four primary spon- allowed loophole has who commit conduct wor- teachers and other person- ers and administrators But the new Safe sors of the “Safe Schools caused problems with thy of dismissal to resign nel who were being recom- would apply to another See ACT, page 2 Dobson explains EAGLES FOOTBALL CAMP reasons for backing out of agreement MONDEE TILLEY STAFF REPORTER DOBSON — Town officials on Monday elaborated on their decision last week to not purchase water from the city of Mount Airy. The town commissioners last week met in a closed ses- sion, then came out of that session and said the town would not be purchasing water from the city, although the town board took no vote in public on the matter. Under state law, votes in closed session are illegal, although it was not clear if the board had taken any vote on the issue. The water dispute between the localities is over 300,000 gallons of water the town said in 2008 it would begin purchasing from Mount Airy when a water line con- necting the two municipalities was complete. That line is within 25 feet of completion, and Mount Airy has budget- ed the expected $298,000 in revenue in the present fiscal year. Dobson officials have stated they would purchase 50,000 gallons of water a day, even though they have said they really don’t need the water, but apparently that offer is off the table now as well. After last week’s meeting, Mayor Ricky Draughn said the board had decided to take no action. “Right now we don’t think we need the water, and we are just going to take a wait and see attitude,” said Draughn Thursday night. THOMAS SMITH/THE NEWS In the written statement released Monday, the town Surry Central assistant coach Glenn Craddock, left, works with participants at the Surry Central Youth said meeting its end of the agreement would cause a sig- Footbal camp Monday. See DOBSON, page 3 Tea Party to meet Thursday TOM JOYCE going to expand it throughout the county.” STAFF REPORTER With the Tea Party concerns focused on runaway government spending and other The Tea Party movement that has be- issues affecting consumers both in the long come a political force around the nation and short term, the main issue to be ad- also is picking up steam in Surry County, dressed during Thursday night’s gathering as evidenced by a meeting scheduled this is the recently passed banking bill in week. Washington. Central United Methodist Church on While the measure supposedly will aid North Main Street in Mount Airy will be consumers, “that’s not what we really the site of that meeting Thursday at 7 p.m. think is going to happen,” Shinault said of “We want to help voters get educated Tea Party members. During this week’s on the issues,” said Kevin Shinault of Pilot meeting, a banking expert will give a pres- Mountain, an organizer of the Surry Coun- entation on the new bill and what it ulti- ty Tea Party Patriots. The Tea Party is a bi- mately could mean. partisan alliance that sprang from concerns “So he’s going to speak probably about about big government, excessive spending 15 or 20 minutes,” Shinault said. and higher taxes. “But ultimately, what we’d like to do is Efforts have been under way for months give people a chance to speak up,” the or- to launch a local Tea Party organization, ganizer said of another portion of the stemming from a small group originating meeting. in Pilot Mountain, and really took off with There also will be a discussion on how a rally there during the Fourth of July the Surry County Tea Party Patriots can weekend. That event attracted hundreds of play a role in the fall election, including a supporters. process later on in which it will pose ques- “The bottom line is, we’ve grown from tions to local, state and federal office-seek- that march and rally on July 5,” Shinault ers involved. said Monday afternoon of the local move- “We’re not really looking to get politi- ment. “We have a lot of interest and are See MEET, page 2 Business owner asks for PUMPING FOR THE UNITED FUND exception to gaming regs MEGHANN EVANS/THE NEWS MONDEE TILLEY lishment should be grand- still be required to pay the Dennis Williams pur- STAFF REPORTER fathered in, or allowed to fees set up by the town. chases gas at a Neigh- continue as a non-confirm- The board voted to set PILOT MOUNTAIN — ing use, because his busi- the business license fee for bors Store on Main Sportsman’s Lounge own- ness was in existence prior computer gaming estab- Street during the er Ronnie Bennett last to the adoption of the new lishments at $2,500 and a newest United Fund of night asked the Pilot fee structure and zoning fee of $500 per machine at Surry fundraising cam- Mountain town board to al- regulation. Bennett owns its regular monthly meeting paign. From now until low his business’ use of four stand-up machines for in May. The commissioners computer gambling games which he sells phone time, also voted to approve an Saturday, three cents to continue, even though which is required to use the amendment to the town’s from every gallon of gas the board in May voted to machine, and then the cus- zoning ordinance which sold at Neighbors loca- put in place hefty fees for tomer can play the games See REGS, page 2 tions in the county will such establishments and for free. The games are not go to United Fund. limit where they can be lo- Internet-based, as is the cated. case with so-called Internet Bennett said his estab- cafes, but Bennett would 2 Tuesday, July 27, 2010 The Mount Airy News, Mount Airy, N.C. www.mtairynews.com COUPON PAGE TWO AC COOLING EFFICIENCY SYSTEM CHECK CHECK call the stand-up machines street, Joyce Drive off N. and those have been in Academy Street. Sheppard $ .95 $ .95 REGS: your building for the last said he didn’t like the idea 19 19 several years. This was Continued from page 1 of closing off the right of something that I brought up way to a property owner in at our last meeting as a will allow computer gam- cannot do any more what that area. The board voted concern and if the N.C. OPEN SATURDAY 8AM-1PM ing establishments to set up I’ve been doing for several unanimously not to accept in the general business dis- years — you can’t do it any General legislature would the petition. trict only. Bennett’s busi- more on Main Street and if have banned them effective Marshall Atkins, chair- ness is located in the cen- I do, you have to grandfa- immediately, this wouldn’t man of the town’s ABC Concealed Carry Classes tral business district, where ther me in,” said Bennett, be an issue. It really would board, said the store Internet gaming is not al- explaining that it would have been resolved without recorded $52,535 in sales North Carolina $60.00 lowed. take him months to pay the our involvement,” said during June and revenues “Recent changes will fees because he only makes French.