Siler City, North Carolina
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Jeff Davis photo Oh, yeah . . . Chatham Charter fourth grader Cathy Ramirez throws her arms up after she completes a ride down the giant slide Monday at the school. Ramirez and the rest of the school were enjoying a day of fun in the sun at their annual field day, marking an end to the school year. Petition drive aims at Post Office renovation By Melissa Ledgerwood Several hundred people have already signed a petition requesting that Siler City’s Post Office be handicapped accessible, and Joe Dixon and Bob Knight are hoping several hundred more will. Dixon and Knight plan to send the petition to the Postmaster General in Washington, D.C. “Once upon a time, I needed help,” said Dixon, who has had both his knees and his hip replaced. Currently, Dixon said he is able to get around using only a cane. However, those who are dependent upon a wheelchair are not as fortunate when it comes to getting their mail, he continued. Because the Post Office is an historic building, Dixon says, only the inside of the building can be altered. “But we don’t want to change the appearance of the outside either,” Dixon said. “Our goal is for a low angle ramp. It’s longer, but it’s easier for wheelchairs to climb.” Dixon says the Post Office owns the parking lot on the east side of the building and they intend to pave it.
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Schools seek more funding, present proposal for budget By Bob Wachs Chatham County’s Board of Education presented its proposed 2004-05 budget to county commissioners last week with a plea from school superintendent Larry Mabe to “make a commitment” to the system by funding the request. The proposed budget calls for a 7.5 per cent increase in spending and an 8.1 per cent increase in the county’s appropriation In his comments to commissioners, Mabe said every school in the county was showing progress. “Beginning with Bonlee and ending with SAGE, there’s not a school in the county that did not make its expected growth. And some of them,” he said, “were exceptional. Our schools are showing an average gain (in progress) of 27 per cent since 1996-97. “I don’t think the citizens of Chatham County want an ‘average’ school system. But there are some who want a Cadillac education on a Volkswagen budget,” he said. “I would, too.” Mabe said much of that progress was attributable to previous county funding. “That’s no small event,” he said, “and you as a board can take pride in this. The funds made available through the years have helped cause the gains through curriculum direction and staff development.” The superintendent went on to add that the county’s ESL (English as a Second Language) and Newcomer’s Program “are nationally recognized. “Those funds have helped educate youngsters,” he said, “and our in-migration isn’t slowing up.”
Police seek suspect in weekend murder By Melissa Ledgerwood Siler City Police are searching for a suspect believed to be involved in the death of a 56-year-old Siler City man on Sunday. Although a motive isn’t known, police are ruling the death of Francisco Torres Ramos, of 822 North Chatham Avenue, as a homicide, according to Major Bill Harman. The victim was found around 9 a.m. lying in his backyard with multiple stab wounds. Police developed a suspect after talking with other occupants of the residence. The suspect is believed to be an Hispanic male approximately 45 years old, Harman said. A physical description of the male is not being released at this time, the major stated. However, only two people know the identity of the suspect for sure, the major said. “One’s dead and the other we can’t find,” he added. Harman said the police department has listed the alleged suspect’s name in the International Police Officer’s (InterPol) database. “We’re hoping to catch him before he reaches the Mexican border,” Harman continued. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) was notified, and they sent a crime lab to assist the police department in the investigation.
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The Chatham News
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