One week after hearing that Siler City had approved a conditional use/rezoning permit request for ISP Minerals Inc. of Hagerstown Maryland, it was back to business for Guy Loeffler, owner of Horizon Cellars.

But that doesn’t mean the vintner has accepted the town’s decision, which he said could hurt his business.

As Loeffler walked his vineyards late Monday morning, he discussed his plans to pursue litigation to halt the quarry.

"We’ll go as far as we can go," Loeffler said. "We’ll take it to the Supreme Court of North Carolina."

Loeffler vowed to fight to keep the quarry from opening next to his business.

Loeffler has said in the past that he believed his operation could not coexist next to a large quarry operation.

His main concerns are proximity to the noise of blasting and the overall affect of mining on his grapes.

Now that ISP has cleared the hurdle of local government, Loeffler plans to challenge the quarry operation in court.

"We’re moving forward," he said. "That’s our plan."

Loeffler said he would let the attorneys handle the details of the case.

One thing that is certain is that Loeffler would be the plaintiff. It is uncertain who would be the defendant in the lawsuit—ISP or the Town of Siler City. Loeffler said he believes he had 30 days to file the case.

Loeffler has been a vocal opponent of the quarry from the start.

School construction projects underway following delays

Now comes the easy part.

At least in one way.

After what amounts to about a six-week delay in starting construction of two school building projects, work is getting underway on a new kitchen-lunchroom for Jordan Matthews High School and the new Virginia Cross Elementary School in Siler City.

Assistant school superintendent Paul Joyce says completing the permitting process for both projects "has taken longer than we expected" but he says work is already underway and that "the equipment on site is big enough that it should move along."

The construction schedule calls for the new kitchen and lunchroom, which will seat 300 students, to be completed by May 25, 2007 and the new elementary school to be done by June 25 of the same year.

"It’s an aggressive schedule," Joyce says, "but that’s the schedule. So much will depend on the weather." He also says the projects "aren’t really six weeks behind. They (the contractors) have been busy getting permits and doing site work and other things that had to be done."

Jeff Davis photo

Heat! Hot sun . . . high humidity. It’s all there come this time of year and we all try to find a way to beat it. Marshall Sandifer found a good way to keep his cool at the Siler City Country Club swimming pool recently. With goggles on his head, Marshall took a dive to the bottom of the pool, cooling off on the way. Then with the force of superman, jumped back up, spraying water as he did.

Rabies incidents on rise

When Carol Ferguson and her husband were attacked by a fox at their Silk Hope residence earlier this month, they immediately worried about rabies.

"Animals who have rabies are very aggressive," Carol Ferguson said in a recent interview. "This one was trying to get in the house."

Unfortunately, aggressive animals like the fox that attacked the couple have been on the increase lately in Chatham County.

Six cases of rabies have been confirmed since June 2, according to data from Chatham County Animal Control.

Ferguson described their particular incident, which occurred July 1, late at night.

The fox attacked and bit both her and her husband. Once they were inside and safe they called the Sheriff’s Office to report what had happened.

When a deputy arrived, he was able to kill the fox with a shotgun and the dead animal was sent away for rabies testing.

The Fergusons’ fears were confirmed when the fox tested positive, and both of them began rabies shots.

So far this year, seven animals have tested positive for rabies in the county.

Three raccoons,