Vol. 130, Issue 224 $.50 PPrroobbee oovveerrsshhaaddoowwiinngg INDEX Obits ... page 3 Opinions ... page 4 TTaarr HHeeeellss’’ ppootteennttiiaall Business ... page 5 Sports ... page 6 Scattered Storms Classifieds ... page 7 Serving Surry County since 1880. High Low ppaaggee 66 94 71 For subscriptions, call 786-4141. The Mount Airy News www.mtairynews.com Printed on recycled newspaper Thursday, August 12, 2010 Wal-Mart re-opens after storm MEGHANN EVANS flooded part of the shopping STAFF REPORTER area. It caused extensive dam- age to the store offices. From the steady stream of Mosley did not have a dollar shoppers going in and out of estimate of the cost of the dam- Wal-Mart in Mount Airy on ages, but he said, “Most of the Wednesday, one couldn’t even damage was in the systems.” tell that just hours before the Rain came into the stock store had been shut down due area, but Mosley said very little to rain damage. stock was damaged. It also Wal-Mart re-opened at 6 poured into the main electrical a.m. on Wednesday, which panel, and he said that caused Store Manager Wayne Mosley some concern on Tuesday. A said was quicker than expected. company from Charlotte came “It’s not all fixed, but we’re up to dry off everything. running,” Mosley remarked Mosley said everything is yesterday afternoon. safe now for shoppers and em- Behind the scenes, crews ployees. “If it wasn’t safe, we were still working yesterday to wouldn’t have opened.” repair damages caused when The store manager made the rain poured in through a section decision to close the store at 2 of the store where crews had p.m. on Tuesday after rain dam- been working to repair the roof. aged the store’s computer sys- The phones were still out yes- tems. terday, and Mosley said it may “The registers went down. I take a few days to get that and had no other choice,” Mosley other issues resolved. explained. MEGHANN EVANS/THE NEWS The rain poured into the He reported that sales were Shoppers exit Wal-Mart, now open again after flooding on Tuesday afternoon forced officials to tem- back of the building and even See STORM, page 3 porarily close the store. Soil borings on deck at sports complex site TOM JOYCE STAFF REPORTER Before any batters aim for the sky, some attention will have to be given to what’s underground at the possible site of a major sports complex in Mount Airy. That’s the latest word from Todd Harris, a city commis- sioner who is spearheading an effort to develop a 10-ball- field facility on land containing an abandoned landfill. Harris’ plan — which he says should be viewed as an economic-development effort more than a recreation proj- ect — is aimed at making Mount Airy a destination for showcase softball and other sports tournaments. That would complement existing tourism efforts geared toward the Mayberry phenomenon and other local attrac- tions, Harris believes. But before the recently formed Sports Development Committee gets the idea off the ground, efforts must be undertaken to ensure that the complex envisioned for 80 acres of municipal-owned property on City View Drive is on firm footing — literally. Harris, the main spokesman for the 14-member com- mittee, said soil borings initially are planned to determine the degree of rock at the site. Also, these tests will ensure there is enough fill dirt on higher portions of the terrain to be moved to build up lower sections and make the whole area usable. “The good news is, we believe that there is,” said Har- ris, who explained that about 3 feet of dirt will have to be MEGHANN EVANS/THE NEWS added to the lower portions. “Because if we’re having to High school teachers with Surry County Schools line up, right, to receive laptops. truck it in, it would not make the project viable.” In addition to once being the location of the city land- fill, the property is in a 100-year floodplain. Harris said the soil borings envisioned cost about County high schools getting technical $2,000. Other members of the board of commissioners learned at their last meeting on Aug. 3 that they soon will MORGAN WALL issued a laptop which was theirs high school, the school system is- be asked to allocate the money for those tests. STAFF REPORTER during the school year to use in the sued laptops to all high school Finding out exactly what lies beneath the surface will classroom as well as at home. This teachers Aug. 5 at the school sys- be “the least-expensive step” in the process, Harris said. If In keeping with the technology year, those seventh graders, who are tem’s technology conference. The the results of the soil tests favor the site’s development, initiative that calls for a 1:1 laptop now eighth graders, will continue to teachers will spend this year learn- another — but costlier — one will be taken: an environ- to students ratio, Surry County use the laptops while the new set of ing how to use the computers effec- mental impact study expected to cost $30,000 to $50,000. Schools is preparing for the next seventh graders will also receive the tively and integrate technology into Such a study typically is done to assess the effects of a phase. computers. their lesson plans. construction project and identify ways to minimize them. Starting last fall, seventh grade In order to prepare for next year, “As part of the long-range plan, Harris estimates it will take about five months to complete students in the school system were when the eighth graders will enter See HIGH, page 3 See SITE, page 2 Trucking company accused of sexual harassment STAFF REPORT freight transportation and and telling stories about discriminate against an em- subjected to the harass- for the EEOC’s Charlotte delivery company. sexual encounters he had ployee because of factors ment, the EEOC seeks an District. The EEOC’s lawsuit al- with women, including his such as the person’s sex, injunction to prevent “Federal law recognizes A federal agency has leges that Della Francis and wife. race, color or religion. Sex- Mountain River from such harassment as more filed a lawsuit against a other female employees of The owner additionally ual harassment violates Ti- maintaining a sexually hos- Mount Airy-based trucking serious than harassment by the trucking firm were sex- is said to have shown Fran- tle VII of the Civil Rights tile work environment. co-workers because the company alleging that its ually harassed by the own- cis photos on his computer Act of 1964. The injunction further is owner and president violat- company’s 'higher-ups' are er and president for a peri- of women he wanted to EEOC attorneys filed aimed at preventing the involved, and company ed federal law by subject- od from about September have sex with, according to the suit in U.S. District company from retaliating policies are unlikely to ing female employees to a 2007 to March 2008. the EEOC. Court for the Middle Dis- against employees who op- hostile work environment. Specifically, from Octo- After Francis com- trict of North Carolina after pose unlawful discrimina- achieve a remedy,” Barnes The suit was brought ber through November of plained about the harass- first attempting to reach a tion. continued. earlier this month against 2007, the owner made ex- ment, the company fired pre-litigation settlement. It Efforts Wednesday to “The EEOC will contin- Mountain River Trucking plicit sexual comments to her, the EEOC said. Ac- seeks compensatory and reach Smith for comment ue to make sure that em- Co. Inc. by the U.S. Equal Francis on a near-daily ba- cording to the complaint, at punitive damages for the on the lawsuit were unsuc- ployers fulfill their obliga- Employment Opportunity sis, according to a press re- least one other woman also affected women, as well as cessful. tions to prevent and correct Commission (EEOC). lease from the EEOC. was sexually harassed by other relief. “Employers are liable such discrimination.” Mountain River Truck- This included comments the owner. In addition to monetary for harassment by a compa- ing, located at 207 Direct about the size of his private The EEOC is responsi- damages for Francis and ny’s owner or high-ranking Lane, was established in parts and his sexual ble for enforcing federal other similarly situated fe- official,” said Lynette A. 2005 by Pete Smith. It is a prowess, the EEOC said, laws that make it illegal to male employees who were Barnes, regional attorney 2 Thursday, August 12, 2010 The Mount Airy News, Mount Airy, N.C. www.mtairynews.com PAGE TWO SCC goes Man survives shock STAFF REPORT A man working on the construction of a garage Wednesday afternoon was resuscitated after being shocked by an electrical wire. tobacco free Ron Haynes, 33, of Mount Airy, was revived on the scene at 907 Oak Grove Church Road shortly after 12 p.m. STAFF REPORT a tobacco-free campus. The by a first responder. college has been working According to John Shelton, director of Surry County DOBSON — As of Au- with the Surry County Emergency Services, Haynes was unresponsive and did gust 1, Surry Community Health and Nutrition Cen- not have a pulse for at least four to six minutes. Haynes College and its off-site cen- ter to prevent the initiation was resuscitated and transported to Northern Hospital of of tobacco use, support Surry County. Medical personnel at the hospital worked to ters will be 100 percent to- stabilize Haynes before he was transported to Wake Forest bacco free as part of a di- those who wish to stop to- MORGAN WALL/THE NEWS bacco use, and eliminate Baptist Medical Center.