Siler City, North Carolina
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Jeff Davis photo A lot fun in the berry patch . . . Five year old Terra Haynes doesn’t let this whopper of a strawberry get to the bucket as she prepares to take a big bite out of it. The juicy, red berries are a popular choice this time of year. And folks galore have been flocking to the fields to get their share of them. Haynes, from Biscoe, was with her mother last week at Killdee Farms, filling up a couple of buckets. Bet Terra got her stomach full while she was working, too. Sheriff: manpower needed for office By Randall Rigsbee To keep up with growing demands, Sheriff Richard Webster this week asked the Chatham County Board of Commissioners for additional staff and equipment. “I want to serve the county as best I can,” Webster told commissioners during a budget work session on Monday. “We’re hitting a brick wall right now and we’re struggling through,” Webster said. “We’re making it, but the service could be a whole lot better.” The sheriff reviewed the duties of his department – from housing prisoners to investigating crimes and responding to calls for assistance – and the existing numbers of personnel, including 57 deputies, he has to perform the wide array of tasks. Webster said a number of divisions within his department haven’t seen increases in personnel in more than a decade. Webster is asking commissioners to add one administrative position (a position currently frozen), 15 new sworn officers, four additional detention officers and 22 replacement vehicles. Even those additions wouldn’t fully meet the department’s needs, the sheriff said. “We are maxed,” he said. “We need 19 officers. We’re asking for 15.” Maj. Gary Blankenship reviewed data to bolster the case. Chatham County is the 12th largest in the state, covering 707 square miles. It is approximately 70 miles from the county’s northeast to southwest portions. The county’s population is around 54,000. More growth is imminent. More than 2,600 new homes have been approved or are pending approval since August 2003 and the county’s first compact community proposal, Briar Chapel, could increase the growth more than 2,000 new homes.
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Economic development takes center stage at county summit By Cara Rotondaro Creating a solid economic plan for the future was the theme of Chatham County’s first-ever “Economic Development Summit,” which was held last week. The conference, put on by the Chatham County Economic Development Corporation last Wednesday at the Governor’s Club, was attended by around 75 people, including many local business and political figures. Several speakers participated in the event. “We are looking for ways to improve the livelihood of our people,” said county commissioners’ chairman Tommy Emerson. “That’s the purpose of the meeting today.” Emerson spoke of the balance between industry and agriculture in Chatham County, an idea which carried throughout the program. Ted Abernathy, executive vice president of Research Triangle Regional Partnership, provided a host of statistics regarding the nation, region, and specifically, Chatham County. An important asset, he said, is that the Triangle area has consistently been ranked one of the top places for business over the past few years by several well-respected business magazines. Chatham County keeps up with economic and employment trends, he said, doing better than the region in some categories.
Bikers ride to raise funds for Council By Cara Rotondaro A somewhat unlikely group gathered in front of the Chatham County Council on Aging (COA) Saturday morning. Motorcycles, of all shapes and sizes, filled the lot. Bikers stood nearby, greeting each other and checking out the scene. They were there for a charitable cause. The COA’s first ever “poker run” was held Saturday morning to raise money for the new senior center being built in Siler City. Participants paid a $20 fee to ride. Each biker pulled five playing cards at five different stops on the route. At the end of the day, the best poker hand won a $200 prize. This was the newest addition to the Chatham Mile fundraiser held by the COA for the past three years, said executive director Lonnie West. Participants were able to relax before starting the 75-mile ride that took them all over the county, including stops at the Silk Hope Community Center, Mays Chapel Church, and the Wilsonville General Store. The council sold sausage biscuits and coffee. Bikers met up with friends and discussed the route. Many had come as members of groups, such as the Burlington Harley club. Carl Tucker, who has been riding on and off for many years, led the pack. His wife was seated behind him. The ride took the bikers through varying scenes of the county. Winding country roads, farms, and some fast-paced riding on highway 64 were included.
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