Consideration of the proposal to modify Lafayette Gatling’s payment on the Roanoke Rapids Theatre could come by next Tuesday’s city council work session.

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Experts in environmental justice explained to members of the Lincoln Heights community how to organize and educate themselves on the proposed solid waste transfer station Roanoke Rapids is considering building.

“I was really impressed with tonight’s turnout and the invaluable information received concerning the negative environmental and social impact that the proposed waste transfer plant will have on both city and county residents who live within miles of the proposed facility,” said Florine Bell of the Lincoln Heights Community Development Coalition.

Gary Grant of Concerned Citizens of Tillery and the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network discussed the history of environmental racism in the state, the perceived practice of locating landfills, hog farms and transfer stations in or near minority communities. “Government and industry go to bed every night,” he said. “They work on things to improve the quality of life for somebody, just not for us.”

David Caldwell talked about his Orange County community’s fight against landfill while Steve Wing of the UNC Department of Epidemiology urged the residents to ask questions

Naeema Muhammad, an organizer for the network, said, “Economic development is one of my pet peeves. What a local government sees as economic development is not economic development to the ones who have to bear the burden.”

Roanoke Rapids Mayor Emery Doughtie told the audience there would be public hearings on the matter and that the city has looked at other areas besides the Hinson Street location where it is considering building the transfer station on public works property.

City Manager Paul Sabiston commended the panelists and the residents who asked questions. He also said there were differences between landfills and transfer stations. “We’re still in the early stages,” he said.

The latest revenue projections for the approximately $695,000 project show with a transfer station the city could see operating revenues over expenses of $282,814. Without a station that figure would be $180,742.

The projections are based on 28,000 tons per year with 7,200 coming from the city’s own solid waste and debris.

Financing options have also changed since the matter was first discussed with debt service being calculated on financing $700,000 over 20 years at an estimated percentage rate of 3.05 percent.

Financing for 20 years instead of 10 years contained in earlier documents would mean an annual debt service of $47,268.66.

The transfer station concept is to build a facility at the city’s maintenance yard where residential and commercial solid waste may be delivered and then transferred by independent haulers to a landfill.

The city’s own collection trucks and third party commercial haulers which pick up solid waste or choose to bring it from other areas will be the primary users, an earlier memo says.

Preliminary studies by the state Department of Transportation show Hinson Street, where the proposed station would be located, would not have to be improved if 100,000 tons a year were transported on it.

The city received $75,000 from Lafayette Gatling today on the lease payment for the Roanoke Rapids Theatre, Finance Director MeLinda Hite confirmed in an email.

The payment was received today at 1:30 p.m. by wire.

Consideration of the proposal to modify Lafayette Gatling’s payment on the Roanoke Rapids Theatre could come by next Tuesday’s city council work session.

City Manager Paul Sabiston said this morning negotiations with the Chicago businessman continue.

Sabiston announced following a closed session Thursday the city is discussing reducing the monthly payment from $98,000 to $75,000 from March 1 through October.

Following that period the payments would go back to the full amount in November and the difference would be caught up during that time.

Further details were not discussed following the announcement as the arrangements are still be negotiated.

The work session will be held at 5:15 p.m. in the first floor conference room of city hall.

A Weldon woman was treated for eight stab wounds following a fight Sunday night.

Lieutenant James Avens of the Weldon Police Department said the victim, Yolanda Edwards, 38, got into an argument at a house at 708 Maple Street. The person she got into the argument with, Shirley Jean Sanders, 51, allegedly grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed Edwards eight times in the chest, back and legs.

Avens said alcohol was being consumed when the argument started shortly before midnight. Sanders was charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury. She was jailed on $2,500 bond and has an April 14 court date.

The suspect in Thursday’s First Citizens bank robbery died Saturday, Roanoke Rapids Police Chief Jeff Hinton said.

Hinton said an autopsy on Nicholas Pierre Clark, 28, was performed Sunday. While he didn’t have the official results, Hinton said the autopsy confirmed Clark died from a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head as he holed up in a house at 1308 Patsy Albritton Street.

Meanwhile, Hinton said police are investigating a phone call from the Tenth Street launderette which detectives believe was a diversion to take officers away from the house Clark broke into following the bank robbery.

Someone called and told dispatchers their vehicle was stolen by a man wearing a wig. The description of the man was the same as the bank robber’s. “We determined it was a false call, an attempt to draw officers away from the house.”

The events that led Clark to shooting himself began when officers responded to a bank robbery at First Citizens on East Tenth Street shortly after 3:30 p.m.

A black male armed with a silver handgun dressed in dark clothes entered the bank and demanded money. He then fled on foot down adjacent Drake Street. 

After a thorough search of the area police were led to a house at 1308 Patsy Albritton Street where money was located in the back yard and Clark’s sunglasses were found. Red stains from where a dye pack exploded were visible on the street.

Entry to the house was gained after obtaining a search warrant, Hinton said, and the two occupants of the house were located in the attic. Outside they informed police a black male armed with handgun was still in the house and had taken them hostage.  Hinton said a subsequent search of the house led police to discover Clark hiding behind a dresser.

When confronted by police Clark shot himself in the head with his weapon. He was transported to Halifax Regional Medical Center and later flown to PItt.

Charges were filed against him for felonious breaking and entering, second degree kidnapping, possession of a firearm by felon and robbery with a dangerous weapon.

Clark had a criminal history that includes assault, common law robbery and speed to elude arrest.

While in prison he had several infractions including three counts of assault and being involved with gangs or security threat groups.