The Chatham News

Jeff Davis photo

A farewell hug . . .

It was hugs, along with handshaking, dancing, screaming and hollering last Friday when school was let out for the summer in Chatham County. Above, Chatham Middle eighth grader Rolanda Barillas gives teacher Stephanie Helmer a hug before he heads to the bus. Barillas will be attending Jordan-Matthews next year.

Bond referendums set

By Randall Rigsbee

Now it’s up to the voters.

Chatham County commissioners last week conducted a public hearing on the issuance of bonds to pay for expanding the county’s water system into three new water districts.

A bond referendum will be held on July 20 in each of the three districts to request general obligation bonds.

Commissioners are hopeful voters will approve the bonds and the chairman expressed concern about the light turnout for last week’s hearing, saying he is hopeful it isn’t indicative of voter interest.

The hearing, conducted May 27 at the District Courtroom in Pittsboro, lasted about 45 minutes, but most of that time was spent by commissioners reviewing legal details of each of the three bond orders with county attorney Bob Gunn.

Only about a half dozen residents attended the hearing and only one of them commented.

“I’m so glad y’all stuck with [efforts to expand the water system] and pursued it,” said Chatham resident Mark Mason.

While that comment was favorable to the board’s plan, conceived by the Board of Commissioners last year, to expand Chatham’s water system countywide, commissioners were concerned that it was only one voice.

more- See Thursday, June 3 paper: Vol 84, No. 27

Authorities probe origin of blaze inside school gym

By Melissa Ledgerwood

Siler City Police and the Siler City Fire Department continue to investigate a fire at the Ernest S. Ramsey Gymnasium on the Sage Academy campus in Siler City on Sunday.

Shortly before 6 p.m., Siler City emergency response agencies were notified of a fire inside the gym.

The immediate response of the Siler City Police Department, Siler City Fire Department, Silk Hope Fire Department and Staley Fire Department allowed the fire to be controlled and extinguished, according to Beth Snider with Chatham County Schools.

The fire was under control within 30-45 minutes, said Scott Murphy, assistant fire chief at the Siler City Fire Department.

Murphy said investigators have not ruled out arson, though evidence isn’t pointing to it.

“Right now,” Murphy said, “it doesn’t look as though it’s going to be suspicious.”

The police department sent samples from the fire to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) lab.

“We don’t think it’s suspicious,” the assistant fire chief continued, “but we want to make sure.”

As a result, Murphy added, the cause is undetermined.

Sergeant James Underwood at the Siler City Police Department estimated the total damage to the building at $100,000.

more- See Thursday, June 3 paper: Vol 84, No. 27

Town moves ahead with permitting of reservoir plan

By Melissa Ledgerwood

Siler City is moving forward in obtaining the necessary permits to continue the Lower Rocky River Reservoir Expansion Project, according to town manager Joel Brower.

The town has been working with the Division of Water Quality (DWQ) and the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Brower said.

Last week, the town sent a draft of its wetland and stream mitigation plan and cumulative impacts analysis to both agencies for review.

Based on a monthly study conducted by the National Weather Service (NWS), the town’s efforts may be right in the nick of time.

According to the NWS, the month of April was generally drier and slightly warmer than the 30-year climatological average.

more- See Thursday, June 3 paper: Vol 84, No. 27

©2001-2004 The Chatham News Publishing Company, Inc.