Greensboro News from the News & Record

A tribute in bronze

Jay Reddick — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 03:00:00 -0400

GREENSBORO -- The place where they dedicated Dr. Joe's statue Wednesday is a far cry from the scraggly bottomland where he first got the idea.

Back then, in the late 1980s, it was a swampy mess at the base of a craggy hillside, not far from a stretch of more salvageable property about to be developed.

Camp Weaver puts children in touch with nature

Jay Reddick — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 03:00:00 -0400

The rising sun brushed clouds the color of bubblegum Wednesday morning by the time Jamie Cosson headed toward the shed beside Turtle Lake.

He led 15 campers, all sleepy from their third night in the woods.

Cosson knows that early-morning look. He’s run Camp Weaver for five summers. But he grew up fishing in Australia, his home, and he wants his campers to fish, too.

So, by sunrise every week this summer, he has led campers from their cabins toward that shed to grab a fishing pole to catch something in a 2½-acre lake where bluegill swim.

Obama was here for peaches (and votes)

mumbarger — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 03:00:00 -0400

GREENSBORO - The few folks who came to the Greensboro Farmers' Curb Market on Wednesday expected to find homegrown tomatoes and okra and fresh-baked breads and muffins.

They weren't expecting Sen. Barack Obama, who made an unannounced visit.

The Democratic presidential candidate from Illinois shook hands, signed autographs and posed for pictures Wednesday morning at the market. It was his only public appearance in the city. After about 25 minutes, Obama left for a town hall meeting in Martinsville, Va.

U.S. 29 ramp to be closed tonight

jnewsom — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:37:03 -0400

GREENSBORO — State crews will close the ramp from East Lee Street to U.S. 29 for about five hours tonight.

The N.C. Department of Transportation said it will be repairing the pavement from 10 p.m. tonight to 3 a.m. Friday in the right lane of U.S. 29.

That single lane will be closed near East Lee. So, too, will the ramp onto the highway from East Lee.

Work should be done before commuters start having to make their way to work Friday morning.

Part of N. Church St. to temporarily close

mfuchs — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:47:34 -0400

GREENSBORO - Starting Sunday, part of North Church Street in each direction will be closed except for local traffic for road work.

A lane in each direction from Northwood Street north to Golden Gate Drive will be closed from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. for sewer line work.

Work is expected to be completed by Sept. 19, according to the city's transportation department.

Truliant Federal Credit Union to open second Greensboro location

Lanita Withers — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:06:55 -0400

GREENSBORO - Truliant Federal Credit Union is building a second Greensboro location at 2914 S. Elm Eugene St.

Bank officials and local leaders broke ground for the branch earlier this summer. The location is expected to open in early to mid-December.

Greensboro home sales, prices down in July

Lanita Withers — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:45:16 -0400

GREENSBORO - Fewer homes were sold in July compared to last year's numbers, and those that did sell went for less money, according to information released Thursday by the Greensboro Regional Realtors Association.

The average sales price for an existing home dropped more than $10,300 in July compared to the previous month's average, with July sales averaging $174,561 compared to $184,908 in June. In July 2007, home prices averaged $191,480.

Wachovia branch robbed

jnewsom — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:51:16 -0400

GREENSBORO — Police are investigating a report of a robbery this morning at a Wachovia bank branch.

Greensboro police said the branch at 405 E. Cornwallis Drive was robbed at 11:44 a.m. Thursday. Suspect information and other details about the incident were not immediately available.

State disciplines rehab center

mumbarger — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 03:00:00 -0400

GREENSBORO - Numerous errors at Guilford County's Substance Abuse Treatment Center are forcing the rehab center for the indigent to turn away new patients temporarily.

North Carolina health officials fined the facility $1,500 Friday after discovering in a June audit that the center's medicine room was left unlocked and patients were self-medicating. State officials also cited other problems.

UNCG chancellor outlines priorities

mumbarger — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 03:00:00 -0400

GREENSBORO - UNCG Chancellor Linda Brady's first formal address to faculty and staff centered on the school's community impact and commitment to research.

Spa investigation slowed by need for coordination

Jay Reddick — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 03:00:00 -0400

When three women developed kidney failure in December after receiving cosmetic injections at a Greensboro spa, several agencies joined the investigation and produced mounds of paperwork.

Sorting through it took months, but it led to 20 felony counts of prescription fraud filed this month against Lauretta Michelle Cheek , proprietor of Altmed of the Triad.

The drugs she is charged with obtaining were Novarel and Phentermine.

War Memorial Stadium back on endangered list

Brenda Hiles — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:00:00 -0400

GREENSBORO - The city's historic ballpark is crumbling faster than before, engineers have discovered.

After voters turned down a $5.5 million renovation of War Memorial Stadium in 2006 , the city funded about $1.5 million in patch-up work to keep the structure standing for another decade or so.

But engineering consultants discovered this year that the 82-year-old stadium is in worse condition than they originally believed, and $1.5 million approved in August 2007 by council to keep the ballpark standing will not be enough to extend its life, city leaders say.

Dollar stores cash in as economy struggles

Brenda Hiles — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:00:00 -0400

GREENSBORO - In the aisles of his discount party supply store, Ben McKee III would hear customers mutter their next destination under their breath.

"We're going to go to the dollar store," they'd say after checking out the sticker price on his merchandise.

After hearing the refrain repeated time and again, McKee made a decision. "I told my wife the next store would be a dollar store," he said. "Unless you've stolen it, it doesn't get any cheaper."

Council amends policy on chickens

mfuchs — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 05:36:15 -0400

GREENSBORO - Chicken lovers are in cluck.

The Greensboro City Council voted to loosen the rules and allow chickens and bees on small residential lots.

The unanimous vote also will provide a little peace for neighbors of the urban farmers. The new ordinance bans noisy adult roosters and limits the number of chickens and bee colonies on any one lot.

Woman buried in yard was strangled, autopsy reveals

mfuchs — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 05:41:43 -0400

GREENSBORO - An autopsy of Sherri Jackson reveals the Greensboro woman likely died from being strangled.

Jackson's body was found June 26 , buried in a makeshift grave behind a house at 2305 Pine Meadows Court.

That same day, DeCarlo Rayshaun Bennett pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in her death. Bennett told police where she was buried as part of a plea deal. He had been scheduled to go on trial July 7 for first-degree murder in her death.

After her disappearance in late 2006, friends said Jackson had been trying to break up with Bennett.

Greensboro man shot in the thigh

jnewsom — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 06:56:05 -0400

GREENSBORO — A local man was shot in the leg Tuesday afternoon after he answered a knock at his door.

Greensboro police said Duron Marcellas Stansell, 24, of 310 W. Meadowview Road, answered his door shortly before 4 p.m. Tuesday. Stansell told police someone shot him in the left thigh.

A private vehicle took Stansell to Moses Cone Hospital, where he was treated for a wound that police said is not life-threatening. Police said they did not learn of the shooting until 11:15 p.m. Tuesday, or nearly seven hours after it happened.

Photo: Wreck briefly closes downtown lane

mfuchs — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 08:20:51 -0400

GREENSBORO - The right, eastbound lane of East Market Street was closed following a wreck involving a car and a minivan that occurred about 8 a.m.

The wreck was at the intersection of East Market and North Church streets.

The wreck was cleared by 9 a.m. and the lane reopened.

City launches Web site on War Memorial Auditorium bond

mgrossman — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:19:43 -0400

GREENSBORO -- The city has launched a Web site to provide information on the War Memorial Auditorium bond.

The site at www.gsoauditoriumbond.com includes renderings of the proposed retrofit of the venue and detailed information on potential improvements.

The bond is one of four bond issues the Greensboro City Council approved for voter consideration on the November ballot.

Woman in critical condition after domestic assault

mgrossman — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:22:42 -0400

GREENSBORO -- A Greensboro woman was hospitalized in critical condition after a domestic assault today. Police are looking for her husband.

About 6:55 a.m., police were called to 7007 Chaftain Place for a reported assault. Allison Lambert was taken to the hospital with unspecified injuries.

Greensboro police are currently looking for a "person of interest:" Gerald Lambert, 28. Lambert may be operating a 2002 cream-colored, four-door Audi-A4 with North Carolina registration XZZ5919, according to a news release.

Replacements Ltd. revives its giant sales event

Brenda Hiles — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:00:00 -0400

GREENSBORO - Many yard sales feature kitchen castoffs - dishes, glasses, utensils.

But not like this.

After a four-year hiatus, Replacments Ltd. is reviving its massive yard sale Sept. 20-21, an event that will have more than 100,000 pieces of china, crystal, silverware and collectables up for grabs.

"We've gotten so many calls from people wanting to know where it is," said Lisa Conklin, company spokeswoman. "We're bringing it back based on customer demand."

Ahearn: Decision '08: Better to 'Dunk' or stay 'Krispy'?

Brenda Hiles — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:00:00 -0400

Face it. Reporters are only human.

And at a historic moment such as this, it's hard not to be swayed. Even the most hard-bitten and objective can stumble, succumbing to a bias that alienates us from the office coffee klatch, the after-church bake sale, even from our own breakfast nook.

Brady makes research, community impact focus in speech

Brian Ewing — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:31:18 -0400

Research and community impact topped UNCG Chancellor Linda Brady's first formal address to faculty and staff when she delivered the convocation this morning.

Brady mentioned research 14 times during the speech, including using the phrase "metropolitan research university" to describe the school several times. Highlighting research as a priority for the school indicates an ongoing shift to increase research activity there.

Lind will be honored by Greensboro

Amanda Lehmert — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:09:44 -0400

GREENSBORO - Olympic rower Caroline Lind will soon add another honor to her trophy shelf: the key to the city of Greensboro.

On Tuesday night, Mayor Yvonne Johnson said she plans to bestow the honor on the gold medal winner when she next returns to her native Greensboro.

Lind, 25, and her teammates on the U.S. women's rowing team earned the top prize Sunday at the Beijing games.

Lind now lives in New Jersey, where she graduated from Princeton in 2006. Her mother, Mary, a professor at N.C. A&T, and her father, Fred, a public defender, still live in Greensboro.

Hopes for deluge from Fay fade with latest forecast

Margaret Wimmer — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 03:00:00 -0400

A key to the Triad's water supply this year changed direction off the coast of Florida on Monday evening, leaving it unlikely the area will see any beneficial rain.

Tropical Storm Fay, which made landfall on Florida's southwest coast early Tuesday, has the potential to drop much-needed rain across the Southeast as it comes ashore. But a change in the forecast track for Fay suggests what's left of the storm later this week won't dump desperately needed rainfall on North Carolina as initially expected.

Downtown cafe hours to get another look

Margaret Wimmer — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 03:00:00 -0400

GREENSBORO — It’s Saturday night — prime people-watching time on Elm Street.

Cars with custom rims stream by, speakers thumpin’. Ladies in high heels and short dresses giggle down the sidewalk. Police officers on bicycles zip between pedestrians and cars.

If Rocco Scarfone has his way, the Elm Street sidewalk outside Much martini bar will be a hot spot for people-watching later into the night. The club and restaurant owner asked the city to reconsider rules that force sidewalk cafes to close by 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and midnight on Friday and Saturday.