SPORTS, 1B INSIDE NEWS, 8A INSIDE OPINION, 4A WEATHER Partly cloudy with isolated Hoggard takes Safeguarding tax Finally some good thunderstorms. HIGH: 82 100% recycled LOW: 66 newsprint out Richmond deductions for teachers economic news DailyRichmond County Journal SATURDAY • May 16, 2009 Rockingham, N.C. 50 cents County welcomes Big Rock Sports Tom MacCallum Department of Commerce, it was the as well as assisting in other county eco- Richmond County Daily Journal second Friday in a row he has been in nomic development. Richmond County. Sago in his remarks also mentioned A good meal at the Webb Farm and Last Friday he was here for ground- shooting clays at DeWitt’s Game Farm, the term “global” regarding the distribu- breaking of a $600 million addition to tion center’s reach. both in Ellerbe, left an impression on the Richmond County Progress Energy Wayne Decker, senior vice president of Big Rock Sports represents more Complex south of Hamlet. than a $10 million investment and the Big Rock Sports. That led him to return He said the opening of the new cen- creation of 150 jobs in the county. to Richmond County and build a 310,000 ter brought “true meaning to the term Carroll said the infrastructure the square foot distribution center for the global supply chain logistics.” county has in place and the coopera- East Coast. Carroll said he, Gov. Beverly Perdue tion of local officials was instrumental The new center is “breaking ground” and N.C. Secretary of Commerce J. Keith in the siting of the center in Richmond for a new era in Big Rock Sports distri- Crisco recently have been crisscrossing County. bution efforts, Decker said. the state announcing new industries. He said N.C. Southeast Economic And according to Kenneth Robinette, He felt the opening of Big Rock was Development Regional Partnership also chairman, Richmond County Board of part of the creation of a new momentum played a role in the siting. TOM MACCALLUM/DAILY JOURNAL Commissioners, it will hopefully lead in the state. Robinette is a member of NCSE and to future expansion of the center and Rick Sago, Richmond County deputy Wayne Decker (left), senior vice president of Big said Big Rock Sports was the largest Rock Sports, accepts a Lenox plate engraved with attraction of associated industries to the manager and director of development, project ever put together by that part- industrial park on U.S. 74 Bypass. said the Commerce Department was the Great Seal of North Carolina Friday, from Dale For Dale B. Carroll, deputy secre- an integral part of development of the BIG ROCK B. Carroll, deputy secretary and chief operating tary and chief operating officer, N.C. Big Rock Sports project in the county CONTINUED ON PAGE 3A officer, N.C. Department of Commerce. Local Veteran dealer saves dodges 4-H kids cutback camp Philip D. Brown Richmond County Daily Journal Local Chrysler dealership Olivia Webb owner Mike Griffin was calm and Richmond County Daily Journal composed when he announced his He never imagined such an incred- dealership would not be one of ible response would come from his the 800 manufacturer’s franchises small community. shut down by June 9. “How could I?” said Gene Shutt, But there was a hint of excite- Director of Camp Millstone in ment in his voice. Ellerbe. “I clearly hope this affects our After getting shortchanged by the business on a positive note,” state due to recent budget con- Griffin said. “From a sales stand- straints, Shutt’s 4-H camp was left point, I hope we’ll get some of the with a mountain of repairs to be customers the other dealerships OLIVIA WEBB/DAILY JOURNAL made and funded. Resources were will lose. From a service stand- Fortress lead guitarist David Reel (left) rocks out at band practice Monday night with the help spread thin. point, now we’ll be a centralized of vocalists (from left) Karen Benoist, Kristen Perry and Kim Sweatt; Roy Moss (back) backs “At one point, (the state) was location in the region.” them up on guitar. Not pictured: drummer, Scotty Mabe and bass guitarist, Joel Perry. heavily considering shutting Local dealerships closing Millstone down for the summer, include Meggs Chrysler Jeep but (Shutt) pushed it, and we were Dodge in Bennetsville, S.C. and able to get the camp open,” said Summer Director William Terry Mayberry in Monroe. Band offers music with a message less than two weeks ago. The approximately 800 deal- Millstone had already been forced erships being closed comprises Olivia Webb School auditorium. Admission is dancing, horsing around, and gen- to forgo its usual plans for Operation about a quarter of their approxi- Richmond County Daily Journal open to the public and free of erally just having a good time. Military Kids, a week-long camp for mately 3,200 total dealerships in It’s all about getting the mes- charge. “(Fortress’s music) is upbeat, children with parents who are in the U.S. sage out. And with drums, guitar Fortress practices every Monday and it’s pretty much like what we the armed forces and have been or Chrysler has received $4 bil- night at the band’s home church, usually listen to,” said 14-year-old will soon be deployed. lion in federal loans and has been rifts, catchy lyrics and a little bit of tambourine, one Rockingham- Glenwood United Methodist. Melissa Reel of Rockingham, as Retired Marine A.B. Thompson of operating under bankruptcy pro- she took a break from hanging out based Christian rock band is reach- If you don’t know where that it, Rockingham brought the program tection since April 30, according with friends to sit out on the front back to life on Monday by writ- ing local teens. just drive down County Home Road to the AP report. steps of Glenwood Monday night. ing a check for the entire amount “We’re gonna jam that place out,” with the windows rolled down and Its sales this year are down 46 “But it sends out a better mes- needed to run OMK this summer: said Fortress vocalist Kim Sweatt listen. percent compared with the first sage than most music,” said 13-year- $30,000. four months of last year, and it of the band’s upcoming Teen Nite You’ll find them. “I didn’t really think about it Explosion, scheduled for May 30 at Walk through the front doors and BAND CONTINUED ON PAGE 8A DEALER 6 p.m. in the L.J. Bell Elementary you’ll also find a mass of teenagers CAMP CONTINUED ON PAGE 5A CONTINUED ON PAGE 5A Bar owner levels charges against lawmen Olivia Webb 2001. Richmond County Daily Journal According to the couple, as soon as they An allegation of racial profiling was the opened up the private nightclub for busi- grand finale at the Dobbins Heights Town ness at 10 p.m. on the first Saturday of this Council meeting last night. month, Sheriff’s deputies began cruising by “After nine years of being treated like every one to three minutes. this, it’s hard for me to get up here and The McRaes said there is never such a tell it in five or 10 minutes,” said Robert law enforcement presence in the area on McRae, owner of Rob’s Lounge and Grill other nights of the week. Others at the just one block over from Town Hall. meeting agreed. By their observations, the He gave accounts of his business being sheriff’s department is cracking down on targeted and harassed by various law them the one night that they do business enforcement agencies, including the North - the first Saturday of the month. Carolina Highway Patrol, the Department McRae had spoken out against lack of of Alcoholic Beverage Control and the police protection at a previous town meet- Richmond County Sheriff’s Department. ing. In response, Richmond County Sherriff “Anyone could see it,” said McRae’s wife Dale Furr announced last month that depu- Iris of the way they say the Sheriff’s ties had volunteered to work off the clock Department has recently singled out Rob’s to help out in Dobbins Heights and all over Lounge. “If Ray Charles was alive, even he the county. PHILIP D. BROWN/DAILY JOURNAL According to McRae, they are pretty Heather McDonald, center, was one of the first to begin the survivor lap at would be able to see it.” The McCraes said theirs is the only much just targeting his business instead of Relay for Life Friday evening at Raider Stadium. She announced “Heather getting to the root of the larger problem in McDonald, nine months.” before beginning the lap. The time frame is how black-owned business with a liquor license in Richmond County, and they have made long since a survivor was diagnosed with cancer. $558,822 in local, county and state-taxed LAWMEN revenue since obtaining the license in CONTINUED ON PAGE 3A Obituaries 5A Deaths Sarah Vaughn, 57, Wadesboro Vol. 78, No.195 Inside today Robert Williams, 87, Rockingham ON THE WEB: www.yourdailyjournal.com Opinion 4A Obituaries can be found on Page 5A. James Clark, 46, Hamlet E-MAIL: [email protected] Calendar 2A Puzzles 3B William Deese, 85, Rockingham Mary Martin, 58, Laurinburg The Daily Journal is published with Material inside this edition is Classified 5B Sports 1B Clint Rainwater, 23, Rockingham pride Tuesday through Sunday for the © Richmond County Daily Journal. Reproduction without expressed consent of the Comics 4B Stocks 3B Aggie Terry, 74, Rockingham people of Richmond County, N.C.