An Aberdeen Carolina & Western Railways freight train derailed in Gulf Friday afternoon.

The incident occurred at about 3:30 p.m. said Sgt. Tim Bolduck, an N.C. Highway Patrol shift supervisor.

Ten cars of the 96-car train derailed. The cause of the derailing was unknown by Highway Patrol.

No one was injured in the incident, and there were no hazardous materials spilled.

Highway patrol officers and the Department of Transportation were on the scene to place road blocks on the two roads that were blocked by the accident.

It took about 12 hours to get everything straight, and the train back on the tracks, Bolduck said.

By Cara Rotondaro

Animal control practices across the state will soon be evaluated by a new legislative committee, which met for the first time October 7.

The committee, appointed by N.C. house speakers Jim Black and Richard Morgan this summer, will look at ways to reduce the numbers of dogs and cats killed by animal control departments in North Carolina.

"I think its going to be welcomed and needed," said Randie Russell, manager of the Chatham County Shelter. She has been in the position since 2000.

"I’m a firm believer in new age technology and the right way to do things," she said.

However, she hopes this committee understands that if they want to implement higher standards for state shelters, they need to talk about ways to come up with funding.

more- See Thursday, October 16 paper: Vol 82, No. 46

More vendors equals more visitors.

That’s what the Goldston Lions Club must have been hoping when they began organizing this year’s Goldston Old-Fashioned Days.

The Lions Club’s first effort was a success by any measure.

Visitors dodged raindrops early in the day, but by early afternoon, the street was full of visitors peering into craft booths and taking food hawkers up on their offers of tasty treats.

Ashley Hendrickson and her mother-in-law Susan Hendrickson were among the visitors who toured the event Saturday.

Ashley Hendrickson lives in Goldston and said the event offered plenty to do.

Northeast Chatham residents concerned about Cary’s intent to develop a land use plan for the area east of Jordan Lake were able to relax a bit last week after the Cary Town Council eliminated all portions of Chatham from the plan.

Cary council members voted to confine their planning efforts to Wake County.

"We are giving everybody a chance to breathe a sigh of relief," said council member Marla Dorrel.

When Cary planners mailed letters to Chatham County landowners last month notifying them of their intent to update the town’s 1996 land use plan, including property up to Jordan Lake, reaction was swift.

More than 400 Chatham property owners attended Cary’s first planning session at Green Hope High School, many making it clear to Cary officials that they opposed any plans the town may have for Chatham County.

And many of those residents also participated in several organizational meetings of a newly-formed group called Chatham County United, which organized a concentrated campaign to fight Cary’s plans.

Leaders of that grassroots effort say they plan to continue their organizational efforts to protect Chatham County.

Jeff Davis photo