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Jeff Davis photo
A ride in the sunset . .
.
Cars and trees form a
silhouette on highway 64 looking towards Siler City
recently. The summer sun painted a bright orange sky for
motorists to look at as they drove home from work. Even
though the bright sun probably gave a few drivers headaches
trying to see in front of them, the colors were a beautiful
sight to see.
Mining plan vote set for July 3
By
Joseph Pardington
A
vote by the Siler City Town Board is expected on Monday,
July 3 to determine whether ISP Minerals Inc, of Hagerstown,
Md. will come to Siler City.
After
three public hearings, a legal challenge and 20 recommended
conditions by the Town of Siler City, the vote for ISP
Manufacturing’s quarry operation is expected at the Siler
City Town Board’s Monday night meeting.
The
board is expected to either approve or deny the rezoning and
conditional use permit requests.
If
the board approves, ISP would be cleared by the Town to
begin the process of building mining and processing
operations that would create roofing granules.
The
rezoning/conditional use permit would transform 1,075 acres
now zoned for agricultural into heavy industrial zoning,
provided it is used for a mining/processing operation. ISP
would still need to comply with the conditions originally
devised by the planning board and approved by the town
board. ISP would also need to obtain the necessary state
approval, such as air quality permits and stream crossing
permits, before beginning construction.
The
property sought by ISP is next door to Horizon Cellars, a
chief opponent of ISP. Several neighbors, and Guy Loeffler,
owner of Horizon Cellars, have complained about the
potential impact of a quarry next door.
Don
Tarkenton, Siler City planning board chairman, has called
for cooperation by ISP and Horizon Cellars. One of the
planning board’s requests is that ISP not operate on
Sundays, one of the days of operation by Horizon Cellars.
more- See Thursday, June 29
paper:
Vol 86, No. 31
Youth drowns in lake
By
Cara McDonough
A
5-year-old Greensboro boy drowned at the Seaforth swimming
area at Jordan Lake Saturday afternoon, June 24, after
disappearing from his parents’ view.
Christopher Mykiel Harris was reported missing by his
parents at 4:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon said Jordan Lake
Park Superintendent Greg Schneider on Monday.
"We
immediately responded with a three-pronged approach,"
Schneider said.
Local
agencies, park employees and volunteers searched nearby
land, water, and checked vehicles entering and exiting the
park looking for the missing boy before his body was
discovered in the water about 45 minutes after the missing
person report was filed, Schneider said.
The
boy’s parents were unsure about his whereabouts when they
reported their son missing.
"They
had not seen the child enter the water," Schneider said.
more- See Thursday, June 29
paper:
Vol 86, No. 31 |
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County
offers $1.5 million to help bring sewer to Goldston
By Randall Rigsbee
Without a municipal
wastewater system, the town of Goldston is in serious trouble,
acknowledges Mayor Tim Cunnup.
Goldston is preparing to
celebrate 100 years of incorporation next year, but Goldston
merchants and residents of the town’s 150 households may
understandably be focusing these days on the less-pleasant topic
of wastewater.
"Septic systems here are
failing," Cunnup said in an interview Tuesday. "They’re failing
throughout town. I’ve seen it. I’ve smelled it. I know the problem
is there."
The good news is, county
and town leaders are working together to resolve the problem.
On June 19, the Chatham
County Board of Commissioners committed $1.5 million to pay for a
trunk line from Goldston to the City of Sanford.
Cunnup said the commitment
is a positive step toward resolving Goldston’s sewer woes.
"The town is very
appreciative of the county to make that commitment," said Cunnup.
"It’s a very positive step."
The county’s commitment of
funds hinges on the town of Goldston implementing construction of
a municipal wastewater system.
more- See Thursday, June 29
paper:
Vol 86, No. 31
Pittsboro rejects retail
center proposed near Northwood
By Cara
McDonough
Site plans
for new developments are not uncommon at Pittsboro Board of
Commissioners meetings, but Monday night the board did something
slightly unusual in deciding not to send one on to the planning
board for their recommendation.
Pittsboro
Commons, a proposed retail center on Hwy. 15-501 and Russet Run,
just across from Northwood High School, was thwarted before it
even gained any momentum.
The board
voted 3-2 (with Commissioner Clinton Bryan absent from the meeting
and Mayor Randy Voller casting the tie-breaking vote,) not to send
a rezoning request from the American Assets Corporation on to the
planning board.
The request
was to rezone 50 acres from residential and agricultural use to
highway commercial use.
more- See Thursday, June 29
paper:
Vol 86, No. 31 |
