Northwood hires principal

Northwood High School has a new principal.

Meeting last week, the county board of education voted to hire Joel County, a school administrator in Wake County, to be the new leader of the school.

He replaces the late Michael Trifaro, who died unexpectedly shortly after the end of the 2003-04 school year.

County, who began his career in Colorado, is presently career development coordinator for Wake County’s Green Hope High School. He will begin his new duties Nov. 29.

“The search process for a Northwood principal has been a semester-long endeavor,” school superintendent Larry Mabe said in a written statement.

“We greatly appreciate how Sam Greene, a retired school administrator, came to Northwood as interim principal. He will work closely with Mr. County during the administrative transition between now and the second semester,” said Mabe.

more- See Thursday, November 25 paper: Vol 84, No.52

County to help small business

By Randall Rigsbee

County commissioners took what they hope is a first step toward establishing measures that will assist the growth of small businesses in Chatham.

The Chatham County Board of Commissioners last week agreed to allow the county Economic Development Board to use grant funds to help small businesses.

Commissioner Bunkey Morgan proposed the action on Nov. 15, asking that commissioners permit the Economic Development Board to use the $228,667 remaining in a previously-received community development block grant to provide gap financing to small businesses through a guaranteed loan fund.

The EDC Board will establish the rules and the amount of funds a small business owner may apply for, according to Morgan’s proposal, which was unanimously endorsed by the five-member Board of Commissioners.

Applications for the loan will be reviewed by the EDC Board and make recommendations for funding to the Board of Commissioners.

A minimum of 50 percent of the funds will be used for minority-owned businesses.

Morgan said the action is intended as a first step to assist growing small businesses in the county.

Morgan said the idea was a response to a challenge by Board of Commissioners chairman Tommy Emerson earlier this year to crate incentives for small businesses in the county.

more- See Thursday, November 25 paper: Vol 84, No.52

By Melissa Ledgerwood

Just when turkey farmers thought the turkey business had seen its last day in Chatham, one local family stepped up to revive it.

As co-owners of the state’s only United States Department of Agriculture-inspected small-scale poultry processing plant, Andy and Heather Youngblood play an important role in Chatham County regarding poultry production, according to North Carolina Cooperative Extension agent Debbie Roos.

The Youngblood’s own and operate Hickory Mountain Farms, where they raise turkey, chicken, ducks and other animals to be slaughtered for upscale markets.

The family opened the processing plant in 1998 just after Purvis Brothers, the last of the commercial turkey growers, pulled out of Chatham County.

Andy Youngblood said people in Chatham who raised turkey for commercial growers raised only turkey, and had older farms between 40 and 50 years old.

Shortly after Purvis Brothers stopped using Chatham farmers to raise turkey, Youngblood said it was time “to put those old turkey houses back to use.”

“We’re very fortunate to have Hickory Mountain Farms in Chatham County,” Roos added.  “Andy and Heather have taken in those who formerly raised turkey for commercial [markets] and were let go.”

The extension agent said raising turkey is an important part of Chatham County’s economics.

On average, turkey farmers make about $10,000 per year, according to Youngblood.

more- See Thursday, November 25 paper: Vol 84, No.52