rrspin.com celebrates its first year of online news reporting Tuesday. Here are the top stories we have covered in our first year.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Today a new effort to spruce up the city begins, a program City Manager Paul Sabiston is calling Opportunity Clean Sweep.
Sabiston told city council Tuesday it is an incentive program designed to encourage people to cut grass and get rid of dilapidated structures without having to pay the city a $45 debris removal fee.
After Oct. 18, people who do not comply would have to pay the fee, Sabiston said. The city will require anyone who wants the fee waived to get it done in writing by contacting the city.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
In what the secretary of the Roanoke Avenue Business Alliance called a turning point for the city, Roanoke Rapids has been accepted into the North Carolina Main Street Program.
Officials with the alliance announced the governor’s decision today at a press conference at Wilkie Real Estate.
“I’m so excited I could jump up and kiss the mayor,” alliance President Kim Simpson said, and did just that.
Simpson said she didn’t expect the announcement this early, in fact one wasn’t expected until the middle of October.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
A nearly four-year-old murder mystery has been solved and a Roanoke Rapids man is in custody under no bond for the Feb. 2, 2006, shooting of Roanoke Avenue businessman Shelby Salmon.
Gene Arnold “Root Root” Hawkins Jr. was arrested today, the Roanoke Rapids Police Department and Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, along with the District Attorney’s office announced at a joint press conference.
Investigators and DA Melissa Pelfrey declined to comment on Hawkins’ past relationship with Salmon, who ran an investment company giving loans to people. Pelfrey said there was evidence of a robbery the day Salmon was murdered at his business but declined to comment beyond that.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
There was a clean sweep Tuesday in the Roanoke Rapids City Council elections with Emery Doughtie claiming the mayor’s spot against incumbent D.N. Beale and challengers Greg Lawson and Suetta Scarbrough sweeping Jon Baker and Ed Deese respectively.
Doughtie collected 76 percent of the votes to Beale’s 24, according to unofficial election returns.
Scarbrough collected 75 percent of the votes against Deese while Lawson collected 72 percent of the votes.
Doughtie said he remained optimistic throughout the election. “I had a lot of good people,” he said. “I’m very honored and pleased by the people giving me their support.”
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Reser’s Fine Foods will invest an estimated $60 million in its Halifax plant over the next five years, creating 500 jobs and making the location on Highway 903 its Eastern headquarters, Governor Beverly Perdue announced at a press conference today.
The company’s plans also call for a three-part expansion of the plant of 925,000 square feet over the next five years, Halifax County Economic Development Director Cathy Scott said following the announcement.
“The good Lord smiled on Halifax County,” board of commissioners Chairman James Pierce said during the announcement.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
An arrest warrant has been issued in a morning murder on Mobley Street, Major Bruce Temple said.
Temple of the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office said Richard Charles Demello, a convicted felon with a long rap sheet for breaking and entering, is wanted for the murder of Michael Wayne Davis, 47, at 85 Mobley Street, which is off West Tenth Street across from Browning’s Grill.
Temple declined to discuss how Davis was murdered and a motive.
Demello, 54, has ties to Harnett County, Rhode Island and Missouri. He stole the victim’s car, a blue 1998 Dodge Neon possibly with a spolier, and could possibly be headed north, south or west, Temple said. “Every agency has been contacted.”
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Halifax County commissioners opted tonight to take $2.072 million from its fund balance to save cutting jobs and hours.
It was a decision County Manager Tony Brown said he struggled with, not wanting to use fund balance to support operations but considering the situation the county is in an emergency.
The move saves 23 full time employees from having their hours cut, two full time positions from being cut and two part time positions from being cut.
The move also gives the county a draft financial plan for the next fiscal year in the low $30 million range which is balanced. The tax rate remains unchanged at 68 cents per $100 of valuation.
Friday, April 23, 2010
A North Carolina woman was sentenced to receive the death penalty today for murdering an Orange County fortune teller and her daughter with the intention of robbing the victim, including stealing her expensive jewelry. Tanya Jaime Nelson, 46, Roanoke Rapids, NC, was found guilty by a jury Feb. 16. 2010, of two felony counts of special circumstances murder. The special circumstances include murder of multiple victims, murder during the commission of robbery, and murder by lying in wait. A jury recommended the death penalty for Nelson March 2, 2010.
Nelson's co-defendant, Phillipe Zamora, 55, also of Roanoke Rapids, NC, pleaded guilty April 14, 2009, to two felony counts of first degree murder. Zamora testified in the trial against Nelson and was sentenced to 27 years to life in state prison March 19, 2010.
Victim Ha Smith, 52, was a fortune teller who worked from her home in Westminster. The victim had clients throughout the country.
Monday, April 26, 2010
The city has ended its contract with Lafayette Gatling to lease to buy the Roanoke Rapids Theatre.
On a unanimous vote today, council agreed to end the contract it had with Gatling and his company, L&M Hospitality. The vote to send the letter ending the contract was not unanimous, with Councilman Carl Ferebee voting against the measure.
In a press release, Mayor Emery Doughtie said, “After much careful thought and deliberation, the Roanoke Rapids City Council has decided to move towards ending its present relationship with L&M Hospitality.”
Saturday, May 8, 2010
A 28-year-old Roanoke Rapids man was arrested this morning in the double murder of a 92-year-old woman and her 65-year-old daughter.
Police Chief Jeff Hinton said Maxine McCrary and her daughter Nancy Burgess were brutally murdered in their home at 311 Highway 158. Robbery appears to be the motive in both cases.
Police received the call shortly before 11:15 Friday night and investigators worked until the morning following leads that led to the arrest of Tony Maurice Gorham. He was found at an apartment on Oakridge Drive around 4:30 this morning.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Lafayette Gatling’s debt to the city increases $3,273.45 every day he fails to pay the $251,859.96 he owes on the Roanoke Rapids Theatre, a lawsuit filed in Halifax County Superior Court says.
The seven page civil lawsuit contains four evidence exhibits which include the notice ending Gatling’s contract with the city, a letter demanding the property and past due rent back, the lease agreement with the city and the contract for Gatling and L&M Hospitality to buy the 8,822 acres of land on which the venue is located.
“We’re glad to get the clock moving,” Mayor Emery Doughtie said this afternoon. “He had 30 days to respond (to the notice ending the contract). To my knowledge he hasn’t.”
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Roanoke Rapids has a budget.
City council this afternoon unanimously approved a $14,910,583 financial plan for the upcoming fiscal year.
In a memo to council, City Manager Paul Sabiston said the general fund operating budget totals $13,683,273 and capital outlay totals $1,227,310.
“As directed by city council, the fitness center and the sale of monuments have been removed from the budget,” the memo said. “Funding has been provided for the code enforcement position in the planning department.”
Sabiston noted the savings from health workers compensation and property and liability insurance helped the city balance the budget without an appropriation to fund balance.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Weldon City Schools has requested a meeting with county commissioners to discuss funds not appropriated for an architect to design a new high school. The joint meeting will be July 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the cooperative extension auditorium.
Pattie Cotton, chair of the school board, said in a letter to board of commissioners Chairman James Pierce, the issue centers on the county’s decision to fund the school system with $832,856.
According to the June 24 letter obtained by rrspin.com, $727,625 is for current expense and $105,231 is for capital expense.
