|
County
residents will pay higher tax rate in ‘08/’09
By Randall Rigsbee
On Monday,
Chatham County commissioners adopted a Fiscal Year 2008-09 budget
which includes a new tax rate of 65.3 cents per $100 of property, a
5.8 percent increase in the current tax rate.
Last year,
commissioners raised taxes by 4.4 percent.
During recent
budget work sessions, commissioners lowered the proposed property
tax increase from the 5.5 cent hike originally proposed to the 3.6
cent increase adopted Monday.
"We would
prefer not to have any tax increase at all," said George Lucier,
chair of the Board of Commissioners. "However, we did not see a way
to further reduce the budget without hurting important programs and
services."
Revenues for
local governments across North Carolina have been impacted by the
economic situation, Lucier said.
"Yet, this is
often the time that we see an increased demand for certain
services," the board chair noted. "It is a difficult dilemma for
elected officials."
While
commissioners slashed some proposed spending, they also increased
several expenditures in the final budget, which was approved by the
five-man board in a unanimous vote.
They
increased the teachers supplement by $300 (up from the $150 increase
initially considered) and to increase the supplement for teaching
assistants, bus drivers, and other classified personnel by $100 (up
from $50 originally proposed).
Also, the
West Sanford Fire District tax increases in the new budget from 8.6
cents to10.9 cents, because Chatham is required to adopt the same
rate for that fire district as Lee County provides. Since the budget
was first presented for commissioners’ consideration in May, Chatham
County had been waiting on Lee County to set the district rate for
2008-09.
Commissioners made a number
of cuts in the original proposed budget, including reducing funding
for a new Community Development Department by $186,207.
more- See Thursday,
June 19,
2008 paper:
Vol 88, No.28
Graduates
close chapter, face future with diplomas
By Angela Delp, Milburn Gibbs and Spencie Love
Chatham
County’s graduating seniors closed a chapter of their lives last
week when seniors from all three county high schools received
diplomas.
Northwood
A total of
220 Northwood seniors received their high school diplomas last
Friday at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill.
Wearing
"Charger" caps and gowns, the Class of 2008 filed in promptly at 7
p.m. and took center-stage seats as the Northwood Concert Band
played "Pomp and Circumstance."
Northwood
seniors served as the primary graduation speakers. They included
Christian Alex Hart, Eli Jacob Clark-Kramer, Class President Erin
Rachel Greger, and Co-Valedictorians Dabney Simone Allen and Anna
Grace Martin.
Hart advised
his classmates to welcome their graduation as "an event of epic
proportions.
"Northwood
has offered us all a unique experience as high school students,"
Hart said.
He added,
"According to the Latin phrase, ‘Sic transit gloria,’ glory fades,
but it doesn’t have to. I hope you will all always remember this
shining moment."
Clark-Kramer
offered a meditation about the meaning of graduation. He spoke of
different dictionary definitions but concluded, "Above all, it’s
time to thank the many people who have helped us get here. I wish
you all luck in finding out what it truly means to be a ‘graduate’
in the months ahead."
Class
President Erin Rachel Greger focused on "gaining wisdom by
reflection," a practice originally "taught by Confucius." She
recalled highlights from the Class of 2008’s four high school years
and concluded that her fellow seniors should pause and take a look
around, let graduation day be a day to be both remembered and
reflected upon in the years ahead.
Co-Valedictorian Dabney
Simone Allen encouraged her classmates to take risks, try new things
in the years ahead.
more- See Thursday, June 19,
2008 paper:
Vol 88, No.28
High gas
prices force young drivers to change
A Staff Report
For many
seniors, a trip to the beach after graduation is a rite of passage;
but it’s one that comes now with the heavy price of gasoline.
How have
rising fuel prices affected Chatham County‘s newest crop of
graduates?
Some members
of the Jordan-Matthews High School class of 2008 say gas prices have
not only affected their senior trip plans but their day-to-day lives
as well.
"At first I
did not plan to take a senior trip," said J-M graduate Samantha
Coble. "I have decided to go to Myrtle Beach and to White Lake,
because prices are too high to go anywhere else."
Coble said
she works at Home Health Care in Siler City with her mother.
"She and I
have been carpooling to save gas money," she said.
Anthony Garner also planned
to visit Myrtle Beach for his senior trip.
.more- See Thursday,
June 19
2008 paper:
Vol 88, No.28
Workers
reunite at former Chatham Mills
By Spencie Love
For nearly 75
years, from 1925 until 1996, Chatham Mills in Pittsboro, which
became the world’s largest woven manufacturer of woven labels during
its heyday, thrived and helped many Chatham residents survive during
the Depression and for many years afterward.
in what is
now the Chatham Marketplace’s building off US 15-501 just north of
Pittsboro.
Approximately
50 former Chatham Mills employees, their family members and friends
gathered for a reunion Saturday at the mill, which now houses
Chatham Marketplace and other businesses.
They ate barbecue, cole slaw
and potato salad lunches, listened to live bluegrass music played by
Tommy Edwards and his band, met with former co-workers and friends
and shared many memories.
Ralph Riddle,
who served as Chatham Mills’ plant supervisor from 1955 to 1976, and
worked for Chatham Mills for 44 years from 1932 until his retirement
in 1976, attended the reunion and greeted many former workers who
remembered him fondly as their boss.
Some referred
to him as "Mr. Ralph" and some as "Daddy Ralph."
Riddle, a
Pittsboro resident who is now 97-years-old, was accompanied by his
daughters, Peggy Riddle Hackney of Pittsboro, and Sara Petty of
Raleigh.
Riddle said
he began working at the mill operating the "quilling machine" and
later moved on to operate the "weaving machine."
"The work
seemed easy to me after growing up on a farm," he said.
more- See Thursday,
June 19,
2008 paper:
Vol 88, No.28
|
Jeff Davis photo
The graduation waltz . . .
Seniors from Chatham Central, Jordan-Matthews
and Northwood turned their tassels Thursday and Friday. And they
celebrated. At Jordan-Matthews Friday morning graduating senior
Stephen Wood decided to dance a little before heading off stage.
Wood, seen in the top photo, took principal Norma Boone’s hand and
danced a little, giving her a twirl, center photo, before spreading
his arms in celebration after walking off stage.
Winds carry
smoke here
By
Angela Delp
Where there’s
smoke, there’s fire … even if it’s half a state away.
Last
Thursday, smoke from the massive wildfire in eastern North Carolina
that’s burned more than 40,000 acres and is expected to continue to
burn for weeks had a far-reaching impact, spreading a smelly, smoky
haze over much of the state, including Chatham County.
If wind
conditions are right, state officials say smoke from the fires
burning in the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge near the coast
could return here.
The state
Division of Air Quality issued a Code Red warning, which means air
quality is generally unhealthy, for the Triangle area effective
through last Friday morning.
Chatham
County emergency management director Tony Tucker said his office
received a few phone calls from residents concerned by the sight and
smell of smoke.
But the media
did a nice job of keeping the public informed about the origin of
the pervasive smoke, Tucker said, which he said likely kept the
number of local inquiries low.
The smoke
originated from the large Pocosin Lakes wildfire in the eastern part
of the state.
Last week,
smoke from the fire, which covered an area more than 40,000 acres,
had impacted many North Carolina counties from the coast westward.
Tom Mather of
the state Division of Air Quality said that as long as the fires
continue to burn, which could be several more weeks, there is a
chance the smoke could return here.
"We don’t typically get winds
from the east this time of year," Mather said.
more- See Thursday,
June 19,
2008 paper:
Vol 88, No.28
|
